The Effect of Exercise on Brain Functions

Acute Effect of Motor Imagery Exercise Combined With Movement Observation on Brain Electrical Activity and Cardioventilatory Responses in Healthy Sedentary Individuals.

Concept of action simulation; It is an internal representation of motor programs that does not involve explicit movement. Motor imagery method (MI) or movement observation (HG) method are considered two separate action simulation methods that activate motor regions in the brain. Both methods remain a popular and effective tool for improving motor learning. Research has shown that clinicians working in rehabilitation settings are aware of the needs of patients, athletes, etc. are recommended as methods that participants can use to improve their motor skills.

Motor imagery training is a dynamic mental process in which a movement is mentally visualized without any visible movement or any voluntary motor muscle activation. Movement observation training is a method that involves internal, real-time motor simulation of movements in which the observer visually perceives movements performed by another. Mirror neurons, located primarily in the rostral part of the inferior parietal lobe and the ventral premotor cortex, are activated both when an action is physically performed and when the action is observed being performed by another person. Studies using neuroimaging techniques have provided support for this theory by showing that many areas known to be active during action simulation, such as the dorsal pre-motor cortex, supplementary motor area, superior parietal lobe, and intraparietal sulcus, are indeed active during both HG and MI. There is evidence in the literature that MI and HG also trigger sympathetic nervous system activation. There may be changes in respiration, heart rate and skin temperature, as well as an increase in electrodermal activity.

EEG is an inexpensive, noninvasive, and simple examination that can be used to evaluate neurophysiological functions by measuring electrical activity. Understanding the mechanism of beta rhythms is important because they are associated with conscious thinking, logical thinking, memory and problem solving, whereas suppression of beta waves contributes to depression and cognitive decline.

This study will investigate the effectiveness of exercising or watching or imagining exercise on brain functions.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: EEG; Pulmonary
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Action observation and motor imagery; Other: Active breathing exercise; Other: Control group

Detailed Description

Participants in the study were divided into 3 groups. One group was shown breathing exercises and asked to imagine these exercises(Motor imagery and action observatin). The second group was made to do active exercises(The same exercises used in motor imagery and action observation were actively performed). The third group was not made to do anything. The exercises lasted 10 minutes. Watching and imagining the movement was also organized as a 10-minute program. That's why the control group was not allowed to do anything for 10 minutes. EEG recordings were taken during this 10-minute period in all three groups.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 33
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Yalova, Turkey, 77100
    • Ebrar Atak

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Volunteering to participate in the study
• Being between the ages of 18-40
• Not using an assistive device
• Having been using the same medications for the last 4 weeks
• No additional comorbid diseases of the orthopedic, neurological or cardiac system
• Getting 30 or more points from each of the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagination Questionnaire -20 (KGIA-20) visual imagination score and kinesthetic imagination score (The purpose of this criterion is to check that the patients who will be distributed to the cognitive rehabilitation group have sufficient imagination ability and to be able to do the exercises.)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not agreeing to participate in the study
• Patients who have used oral corticosteroid drugs in the last 4 weeks
• Participants who cannot understand verbal instructions and are visually impaired
• Have currently participated in another clinical trial within the last 30 days that may affect the results of the study

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: action observation and motor imegary; The motor imagery and action observation group was asked to watch a previously recorded breathing exercise video and imagine it as if they were doing it themselves.	Other: Action observation and motor imagery; EEG recording was taken while watching a 10-minute video recording of specified breathing exercises and imagining the exercises.
Active Comparator: Active Breathing Exercise Group; Respiratory control, diaphragmatic breathing and thoracic expansion exercises were actively performed for 10 repetitions each.	Other: Active breathing exercise; EEG recording was taken while the physiotherapist performed active breathing exercises for 10 minutes.
Active Comparator: Control group; Participants will remain in a sitting position throughout the entire experimental group application. Participants were prevented from making physical movements and were asked to keep their minds closed by closing their eyes and not thinking about anything.	Other: Control group; EEG recording was taken while resting with eyes closed for 10 minutes.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Acute effect on brain electrical activity	Motor imagery exercise combined with action observation has an acute effect on brain electrical activity in healthy sedentary individuals.	up to 24 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Acute effect on cardioventilatory responses	Motor imagery exercise combined with action observation has an acute effect on cardioventilatory responses in healthy sedentary individuals.	up to 24 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Istanbul Medipol University Hospital
• Collaborators: Istanbul Gedik University
• Investigators: Study Director: Ebrar Atak, PhD, Istanbul Gedik University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 30, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): September 30, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 16, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 19, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): October 25, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 22, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 21, 2024
• Last Verified: March 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: motor imagery; EEG; pulmonary rehabilitation
• Other Study ID Numbers: ebraratak1

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No