Session Information
Date: Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Session Title: Neurophysiology (non-PD)
Session Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm
Location: Exhibit Hall located in Hall B, Level 2
Objective: To determine the effect of high-intensity interval (HIT) exercise on motor cortex plasticity and learning in healthy young adults.
Background: Motor skill learning requires repeated practice, and results from neural adaptations that occur both during practice and during ongoing consolidation of the skill. Primary motor cortex plasticity and the modulation of GABA inhibition are essential to this process. Interestingly, acute lower-limb HIT exercise has been shown to augment the learning of a fine motor skill. Cortical mechanisms for this effect remain unclear, although one possibility is that exercise results in a generalised reduction of GABA inhibition.
Methods: We used TMS to measure cortical excitability and synaptic GABAergic neurotransmission, namely GABAA receptor dependent short-intracortical inhibition (SICI), and GABAB receptor dependent long-intracortical inhibition (LICI). TMS measures were obtained from the hand before and after a 20-minute session of HIT cycling, or rest. All participants subsequently learned a fine motor skill and performed a 5-hour retention test.
Results: No differences were found in cortical excitability or LICI, however GABAA receptor dependent SICI was significantly reduced for the Exercise group (mean±SD: before 59±5%, after 32±12%) but not the Control group (before 53±4%, after 53±5%). HIT exercise enhanced motor skill consolidation and retention.
Conclusions: A transient reduction in synaptic GABAA inhibition following HIT exercise may create an environment that is optimal for neuroplasticity, and contribute to the observed improvements in motor skill learning. As the HIT protocol can be individually tailored, it could enable clinical populations to attain higher exercise intensity. It remains to be determined whether favourable neurophysiological and behavioural effects can be similarly observed in patients with movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
J.P. Coxon, E. Stavrinos. Motor cortex neuroplasticity and learning following high-intensity interval exercise [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2016; 31 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/motor-cortex-neuroplasticity-and-learning-following-high-intensity-interval-exercise/. Accessed October 19, 2025.« Back to 2016 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/motor-cortex-neuroplasticity-and-learning-following-high-intensity-interval-exercise/