Brain plasticity and motor skill competence development in adolescents with poor motor skill acquisition and performance: Trial Protocol for a controlled experimental paradigm

Esser, Patrick; Weedon, Benjamin David; Meaney, Andrew; Delextrat, Anne; Mahmoud, Wala; Salvan, Piergiorgio; Wassenaar, Thomas; Joshi, Shawn; Liu, Yan-Ci; Kemp, Steve

doi:10.17605/osf.io/w8gj6

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“…A detailed protocol was published previously ( Esser et al, 2019 ). In brief, the study was a trial comparing motor learning and performance between adolescents ( Sawyer et al, 2018 ) with and without DCD.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Exercise sessions were delivered at the participant’s school. Each 60 min session consisted of an initial warm up, moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (50–85% maximum heart rate), and individualized stepping training protocol ( Esser et al, 2019 ). Aerobic exercise could induce brain plasticity in early to middle adulthood, even within a relatively short timeframe of 6 weeks ( Thomas et al, 2016 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Motor learning in developmental coordination disorder: behavioral and neuroimaging study

et al. 2023

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Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is characterized by motor learning deficits that are poorly understood within whole-body activities context. Here we present results of one of the largest non-randomized interventional trials combining brain imaging and motion capture techniques to examine motor skill acquisition and its underpinning mechanisms in adolescents with and without DCD. A total of 86 adolescents with low fitness levels (including 48 with DCD) were trained on a novel stepping task for a duration of 7 weeks. Motor performance during the stepping task was assessed under single and dual-task conditions. Concurrent cortical activation in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) was measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Additionally, structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was conducted during a similar stepping task at the beginning of the trial. The results indicate that adolescents with DCD performed similarly to their peers with lower levels of fitness in the novel stepping task and demonstrated the ability to learn and improve motor performance. Both groups showed significant improvements in both tasks and under single- and dual-task conditions at post-intervention and follow-up compared to baseline. While both groups initially made more errors in the Stroop task under dual-task conditions, at follow-up, a significant difference between single- and dual-task conditions was observed only in the DCD group. Notably, differences in prefrontal activation patterns between the groups emerged at different time points and task conditions. Adolescents with DCD exhibited distinct prefrontal activation responses during the learning and performance of a motor task, particularly when complexity was increased by concurrent cognitive tasks. Furthermore, a relationship was observed between MRI brain structure and function measures and initial performance in the novel stepping task. Overall, these findings suggest that strategies that address task and environmental complexities, while simultaneously enhancing brain activity through a range of tasks, offer opportunities to increase the participation of adolescents with low fitness in physical activity and sports.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%