Brain structure changes in nondemented seniors after six-month dance-exercise intervention

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Authors

REKTOROVÁ Irena KLOBUŠIAKOVÁ Patrícia BALÁŽOVÁ Zuzana KROPÁČOVÁ Sylvie ŠEJNOHA MINSTEROVÁ Alžběta GRMELA Roman SKOTÁKOVÁ Alena REKTOR Ivan

Year of publication 2020
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source Acta Neurologica Scandinavica
MU Faculty or unit

Central European Institute of Technology

Citation
Web https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ane.13181
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ane.13181
Keywords cognitive; cortical thickness; dance-exercise intervention; DTI; healthy seniors; lateral temporo-occipital cortex; mild cognitive impairment; MRI
Description Objectives To evaluate effects of a six-month intensive dance-exercise intervention (DI) on cognition and brain structure in a mixed group of healthy seniors and people with mild cognitive impairment. Methods Subjects (aged > 60 years with no dementia or depression) were randomly assigned to either a DI group or a life as usual (LAU) group. Detailed neuropsychological testing, measures of physical fitness and brain MRI encompassing T1 structural and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were performed at baseline and after 6 months. We assessed changes in cortical thickness and DTI parameters derived from tract-based spatial statistics. Results Altogether 62 individuals (n = 31 in the DI group) completed the protocol. The groups were matched for their demographic and clinical variables. After 6 months, we found significant cortical thickening in the right inferior temporal, fusiform and lateral occipital regions in the dancers compared to controls. Significant increases of radial and mean diffusivity were observed in various white matter tracts in the dancers; however, no differences were observed between the DI and LAU groups. The DI group as compared to the LAU group showed subtle improvements in executive functions. Conclusions We observed DI-induced improvement in executive functions and increases of cortical thickness in the lateral occipitotemporal cortex which is engaged in action observation, visuomotor integration and action imitation, that is activities that are all important for motor learning and executing skilled movements.
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