Brain basis for physical activity levels mediate beta Inhibition to improve cognitive function in elderly based on multimodality monitoring

Abstract The ameliorative effect of regular physical activity (PA) on cognitive function (CF) in older adults has been demonstrated. However, there are differences in the effects of different levels of PA on CF over time. To provide a more efficient exercise prescription for older adults, we compare...

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Main Authors: Zixia Bu, Shan Jiang, Tingting Sun, Zhenxing Yang, Mo Sha, Fuqiang Dong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98857-5
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author Zixia Bu
Shan Jiang
Tingting Sun
Zhenxing Yang
Mo Sha
Fuqiang Dong
author_facet Zixia Bu
Shan Jiang
Tingting Sun
Zhenxing Yang
Mo Sha
Fuqiang Dong
author_sort Zixia Bu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The ameliorative effect of regular physical activity (PA) on cognitive function (CF) in older adults has been demonstrated. However, there are differences in the effects of different levels of PA on CF over time. To provide a more efficient exercise prescription for older adults, we compared differences in CF with neural mechanisms in individuals with different weekly activity levels. In this study, 68 older adults (n = 68, M = 47, F = 21, Age = 62.43 ± 4.36) were categorized according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) into high volume PA group (HG) (MET-min/week = 1516.64 ± 138.68), moderate volume PA group (MG) (MET-min/week = 1248.02 ± 119.86), and control group (MET-min/week = 1248.02 ± 119.86). 1516.64 ± 138.68), moderate volume PA group (MG) (MET-min/week = 1248.02 ± 119.86), and control group (MET-min/week = 846.78 ± 97.53). Differences in Stop Signal, Stroop, and 2-Back were compared among the three groups. Electroencephalogram (EEG), event-related potential (ERP), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features were also observed. The results showed that for CF, 2-Back with Stroop was significantly higher in MG versus HG than in CG (F = 121.45, P < 0.01; F = 88.74, P < 0.01), and the opposite was true for response (F = 236.83, P < 0.01; F = 187.64, P < 0.01). Stroop was higher in HG than in MG (F = 38.78, P = 0.037) and Stop Signal was higher than in CG (F = 52.03, P < 0.01). In terms of EEG, the alpha band share of HG was higher than CG at rest (F = 41.34, P = 0.040) and the opposite in work (F = 25.67, P = 0.046). Although the remaining results were not statistically significant, PA levels were inversely proportional to resting midrange-band β (CG = 8.98 ± 1.02, MG = 8.07 ± 0.76, HG = 8.13 ± 0.88), and positively proportional to midrange and high-band β in WORK (midrange β: CG = 12.41 ± 2.29, MG = 12.98 ± 3.04, HG = 13.21 ± 2.85; high β: CG = 6.76 ± 2.23, MG = 7.35 ± 1.96, HG = 7.91 ± 2.3). In ERP, the latencies of N200, P300, and N450 were significantly shorter than those of CG in HG (F = 44.63, P = 0.041; F = 29.69, P = 0.045; F = 76.48, P < 0.01), and only N450 was shorter than that of CG in MG (F = 59.62, P < 0.01). On MRI, HG had Middle Frontal Gyrus (MFG) (HG > CG, voxel = 188, t = 3.72), Right Superior Frontal Gyrus (RSFG) (HG > CG, voxel = 238, t = 4.07), Left Cingulate (HG > CG, voxel = 343, t = 4.36), and Left Supplementary Motor Area (LSMA) (HG > CG, voxel = 343, t = 4.36) were activated more than CG. MFG (MG > CG, voxel = 172, t = 3.56), LSMA (MG > CG, voxel = 331, t = 4.28), and PHG (MG > CG, voxel = 204, t = 3.35) were activated more than CG. It was concluded that PA significantly enhanced CF in older adults, and that high volume PA was more effective than moderate volume. Specifically, VPA was found to be significantly more effective than MPA and LPA in enhancing individuals’ inhibition function, cognitive flexibility, working memory, and reaction speed. This may be attributed to the increase in ERP amplitude with shorter latency and greater gray matter density in frontal and temporal lobe regions.
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spelling doaj-art-32b457412f6c4429a02f8cfbce2800de2025-08-20T01:53:22ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111310.1038/s41598-025-98857-5Brain basis for physical activity levels mediate beta Inhibition to improve cognitive function in elderly based on multimodality monitoringZixia Bu0Shan Jiang1Tingting Sun2Zhenxing Yang3Mo Sha4Fuqiang Dong5School of International Chinese Language Education, Beijing Normal UniversityDepartment of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong KongKey Laboratory of Exercise and Physical Fitness, Ministry of Education, Beijing Sport UniversityCollege of Physical Education, Fuyang Normal UniversitySports Department, Communication University of ChinaCollege of Physical Education, Minzu University of ChinaAbstract The ameliorative effect of regular physical activity (PA) on cognitive function (CF) in older adults has been demonstrated. However, there are differences in the effects of different levels of PA on CF over time. To provide a more efficient exercise prescription for older adults, we compared differences in CF with neural mechanisms in individuals with different weekly activity levels. In this study, 68 older adults (n = 68, M = 47, F = 21, Age = 62.43 ± 4.36) were categorized according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) into high volume PA group (HG) (MET-min/week = 1516.64 ± 138.68), moderate volume PA group (MG) (MET-min/week = 1248.02 ± 119.86), and control group (MET-min/week = 1248.02 ± 119.86). 1516.64 ± 138.68), moderate volume PA group (MG) (MET-min/week = 1248.02 ± 119.86), and control group (MET-min/week = 846.78 ± 97.53). Differences in Stop Signal, Stroop, and 2-Back were compared among the three groups. Electroencephalogram (EEG), event-related potential (ERP), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features were also observed. The results showed that for CF, 2-Back with Stroop was significantly higher in MG versus HG than in CG (F = 121.45, P < 0.01; F = 88.74, P < 0.01), and the opposite was true for response (F = 236.83, P < 0.01; F = 187.64, P < 0.01). Stroop was higher in HG than in MG (F = 38.78, P = 0.037) and Stop Signal was higher than in CG (F = 52.03, P < 0.01). In terms of EEG, the alpha band share of HG was higher than CG at rest (F = 41.34, P = 0.040) and the opposite in work (F = 25.67, P = 0.046). Although the remaining results were not statistically significant, PA levels were inversely proportional to resting midrange-band β (CG = 8.98 ± 1.02, MG = 8.07 ± 0.76, HG = 8.13 ± 0.88), and positively proportional to midrange and high-band β in WORK (midrange β: CG = 12.41 ± 2.29, MG = 12.98 ± 3.04, HG = 13.21 ± 2.85; high β: CG = 6.76 ± 2.23, MG = 7.35 ± 1.96, HG = 7.91 ± 2.3). In ERP, the latencies of N200, P300, and N450 were significantly shorter than those of CG in HG (F = 44.63, P = 0.041; F = 29.69, P = 0.045; F = 76.48, P < 0.01), and only N450 was shorter than that of CG in MG (F = 59.62, P < 0.01). On MRI, HG had Middle Frontal Gyrus (MFG) (HG > CG, voxel = 188, t = 3.72), Right Superior Frontal Gyrus (RSFG) (HG > CG, voxel = 238, t = 4.07), Left Cingulate (HG > CG, voxel = 343, t = 4.36), and Left Supplementary Motor Area (LSMA) (HG > CG, voxel = 343, t = 4.36) were activated more than CG. MFG (MG > CG, voxel = 172, t = 3.56), LSMA (MG > CG, voxel = 331, t = 4.28), and PHG (MG > CG, voxel = 204, t = 3.35) were activated more than CG. It was concluded that PA significantly enhanced CF in older adults, and that high volume PA was more effective than moderate volume. Specifically, VPA was found to be significantly more effective than MPA and LPA in enhancing individuals’ inhibition function, cognitive flexibility, working memory, and reaction speed. This may be attributed to the increase in ERP amplitude with shorter latency and greater gray matter density in frontal and temporal lobe regions.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98857-5ExerciseCognitive functionElectroencephalogramEvent-related potentialMagnetic resonance imaging
spellingShingle Zixia Bu
Shan Jiang
Tingting Sun
Zhenxing Yang
Mo Sha
Fuqiang Dong
Brain basis for physical activity levels mediate beta Inhibition to improve cognitive function in elderly based on multimodality monitoring
Scientific Reports
Exercise
Cognitive function
Electroencephalogram
Event-related potential
Magnetic resonance imaging
title Brain basis for physical activity levels mediate beta Inhibition to improve cognitive function in elderly based on multimodality monitoring
title_full Brain basis for physical activity levels mediate beta Inhibition to improve cognitive function in elderly based on multimodality monitoring
title_fullStr Brain basis for physical activity levels mediate beta Inhibition to improve cognitive function in elderly based on multimodality monitoring
title_full_unstemmed Brain basis for physical activity levels mediate beta Inhibition to improve cognitive function in elderly based on multimodality monitoring
title_short Brain basis for physical activity levels mediate beta Inhibition to improve cognitive function in elderly based on multimodality monitoring
title_sort brain basis for physical activity levels mediate beta inhibition to improve cognitive function in elderly based on multimodality monitoring
topic Exercise
Cognitive function
Electroencephalogram
Event-related potential
Magnetic resonance imaging
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98857-5
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