Effect of Physical Exercise on Motor Learning Acquired With Physical or Mental Practice

NCT05910814 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 69HCL22_04252023-A00155-40
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 70
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

Motor learning is crucial for human daily routine, involving the acquisition of new movements. It consists of an online acquisition phase followed by offline consolidation, where motor memory is organized into stable representations. Acquisition can be achieved through physical practice (PP, overt repetition of movement) or mental rehearsal using motor imagery (MI). Recent studies suggest that high-intensity interval physical exercise (HIIE) enhances motor learning, particularly during consolidation, by promoting neural plasticity mediated by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). However, the impact of HIIE on sequential motor consolidation with PP or MI remains poorly understood. In contrast, sleep deprivation (SD) reduces BDNF release and neural plasticity. Limited research has explored the effects of SD on motor acquisition, especially sequential motor learning. Considering the opposing effects of HIIE and SD, performing HIIE after SD may protect motor consolidation processes. This study aims to examine the influence of HIIE on sequential motor learning using PP or MI under both sleep-deprived and normal sleep conditions. Six groups, each comprising 12 participants, will learn an 8-item bimanual sequence.

• MI group: acquired the motor sequence mentally during training
• MI+HIIE group: acquired the motor sequence mentally and achieve a HIIE before the consolidation
• PP: acquired the motor sequence physically
• PP+HIIE group: acquired the motor sequence physically and achieve a HIIE before the consolidation
• SD+PP group: one night of sleep deprivation prior physical motor acquisition with PP and consolidation
• SD+PP+HIIE group: one night of sleep deprivation prior physical motor acquisition and HIIE before consolidation. All groups will be tested on the sequence at the beginning and the end of the acquisition phase (pre- and post-acquisition), and after the physical exercise (i.e. HIIE) or the rest period (post-exercise). Hypothesis of this study are :
• Acute physical exercise (HIIE) would enhance the consolidation of motor memory (post-exercise) after physical and mental acquisition (PP,MI) compared to conditions without exercise.
• One night of sleep deprivation would affect the acquisition and consolidation of motor learning. Physical exercise would compensate for the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation on the consolidation of motor learning.

Conditions

Physical Exercise; Motor Learning

Keywords

motor imagery; consolidation; BDNF; sleep deprivation; physical exercise

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Number of correct sequence between post-acquisition and post-exercise for PP and PP+HIIE

  In the bimanual finger tapping task, the accuracy corresponds to the number correct sequence performed during a block of practice The primary outcome measure will be the difference in the number of correct sequences performed between the end of acquisition (post-acquisition) and consolidation (post-exercise) stages between the PP and PP+HIIE.

  Through study completion, an average of 13 days.

Secondary Outcomes (9)

• Number of correct sequence between post-acquisition and post-exercise for IM and IM+HIIE

  Through study completion, an average of 13 days.

• Number of correct sequence between pre-acquisition, post-acquisition, and post-exercise for SD and SD+PP

  Through study completion, an average of 13 days.

• Number of correct sequence between post-acquisition and post-exercise for SD+PP and SD+PP+HIIE

  Through study completion, an average of 13 days.

• Neurophysiological informations between pre-acquisition, post-acquisition and post-exercise for all groups (IM, PP, IM+HIIE, PP+HIIE, SD+PP, SD+PP+HIIE)

  Through study completion, an average of 13 days.

• BDNF assessment between pre-acquisition and post-exercise for all groups

  Through study completion, an average of 13 days.

Study Arms (6)

PP (physical practice)

EXPERIMENTAL

Acquired the motor sequence physically

Behavioral: Normal Night (Night); Behavioral: Rest control; Behavioral: Physical Practice (PP)

MI (motor imagery)

EXPERIMENTAL

Acquired the motor sequence mentally during training

Behavioral: Normal Night (Night); Behavioral: Rest control; Behavioral: Motor imagery

MI+HIIE (motor imagery + high-intensity interval physical exercise)

EXPERIMENTAL

Acquired the motor sequence mentally and achieve a HIIE before the consolidation

Behavioral: Normal Night (Night); Behavioral: Physical Exercise (HIIE); Behavioral: Motor imagery

PP+HIIE (physical practice + motor imagery + high-intensity interval physical exercise)

EXPERIMENTAL

Acquired the motor sequence physically and achieve a HIIE before the consolidation

Behavioral: Normal Night (Night); Behavioral: Physical Exercise (HIIE); Behavioral: Physical Practice (PP)

SD + PP (sleep deprivation + physical practice)

EXPERIMENTAL

One night of sleep deprivation prior physical motor acquisition with PP and consolidation

Behavioral: Sleep Deprivation (SD); Behavioral: Rest control; Behavioral: Physical Practice (PP)

SD+PP+HIIE (sleep deprivation + physical practice + high-intensity interval physical exercise)

EXPERIMENTAL

One night of sleep deprivation prior physical motor acquisition and HIIE before consolidation

Behavioral: Sleep Deprivation (SD); Behavioral: Physical Exercise (HIIE); Behavioral: Physical Practice (PP)

Interventions

Sleep Deprivation (SD) BEHAVIORAL

Participants in the sleep deprivation group will spend a night awake, under the supervision of an investigator, at Croix-Rousse Hospital. The investigator will provide a list of activities to maintain the participant awake.

SD + PP (sleep deprivation + physical practice); SD+PP+HIIE (sleep deprivation + physical practice + high-intensity interval physical exercise)

Normal Night (Night) BEHAVIORAL

Participants in the normal night group will spend one night sleeping in their own home.

MI (motor imagery); MI+HIIE (motor imagery + high-intensity interval physical exercise); PP (physical practice); PP+HIIE (physical practice + motor imagery + high-intensity interval physical exercise)

Physical Exercise (HIIE) BEHAVIORAL

Participants in the physical exercise group (i.e. IM+HIIE, PP+HIIE, SD+PP+HIIE) will start with a 2-minute warm-up on an ergometer cycle. After the warm-up, they will perform 3 minutes of exercise at a workload customized to their maximal aerobic power (MAP) corresponding to 80 % their MAP and then rest actively for 2 minutes at 40 % of MAP. This cycle of 5 minutes will be repeated 3 times in row, resulting in a total of 17 minutes of physical exercise including the warm-up.

MI+HIIE (motor imagery + high-intensity interval physical exercise); PP+HIIE (physical practice + motor imagery + high-intensity interval physical exercise); SD+PP+HIIE (sleep deprivation + physical practice + high-intensity interval physical exercise)

Rest control BEHAVIORAL

Participants will watch a documentary during an equivalent time as the physical exercise (i.e. 17 minutes).

MI (motor imagery); PP (physical practice); SD + PP (sleep deprivation + physical practice)

Motor imagery BEHAVIORAL

On the bimanual finger tapping task composed of 8 elements, the participant will be required to repeat the motor sequence mentally using MI (mental rehearsal of movement) during twelve blocks of 30 seconds. Participant will imagine performing the sequence as fast and accurately as possible without overt movement.

MI (motor imagery); MI+HIIE (motor imagery + high-intensity interval physical exercise)

Physical Practice (PP) BEHAVIORAL

Participants will practice a bimanual sequential finger tapping task composed of 8 movements. Participant will be required to perform the sequence as fast and as accurately as possible during blocs of 30 s (i.e. twelve blocs during training).

PP (physical practice); PP+HIIE (physical practice + motor imagery + high-intensity interval physical exercise); SD + PP (sleep deprivation + physical practice); SD+PP+HIIE (sleep deprivation + physical practice + high-intensity interval physical exercise)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Male or female aged 18 to 35
• Available for the entire study (13 days maximum)
• Right-handed upper limbs with a score \> 0.5 on the Edinburgh laterality test
• Having dated and signed an informed consent
• Subject affiliated or entitled to a social security scheme
• Absence of contraindication to the practice of physical activity
• Considered active according to the GPAQ (Global Physical Activity Questionnaire)
• Neutral or moderate circadian typology (31 to 69)
• Regular physical activity (2h/week minimum)

You may not qualify if:

• Musculoskeletal injury \< 6 months
• Pathology or surgical intervention resulting in a locomotor disorder \< 6 months
• Chronic or disabling neurological, cardiovascular or psychic pathology
• Resting heart rate \> 100 bpm
• Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index \> 10
• Taking sleeping pills or medication with a psychoactive effect during the last 6 months
• Ongoing participation in an interventional research
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women
• Person deprived of judicial or administrative freedom.
• Contraindication to TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation):
• Frequent or severe headaches
• History of epilepsy
• Head trauma with loss of consciousness
• Implanted equipment (including implanted pacemaker or defibrillator, cochlear implant, pump administering medication, surgical clips, metal shrapnel)
• Neurosurgical intervention (in particular eye surgery)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hospices Civils de Lyon: lead

Study Sites (2)

Service d'explorations fonctionnelles respiratoires-Médecine du sport et de l'activité physique, Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon

Lyon, 69004, France

Location

Laboratoire LIBM, Université Lyon 1

Villeurbanne, 69622, France

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity; Sleep Deprivation

Interventions

Exercise

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior; Dyssomnias; Sleep Wake Disorders; Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Mental Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Study Officials

• Maxime PINGON, MD

  EFR-Médecine du sport et de l'activité physique, HCL

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: 6 arms will be enrolled, with 12 participants per group.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 30, 2023
• First Posted: June 20, 2023
• Study Start: June 16, 2023
• Primary Completion: September 20, 2024
• Study Completion: September 20, 2024
• Last Updated: November 29, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-11

Locations

FR (2)