Bakker, L.B.M. (Lisanne) (2019) Task specificity and brain adaptations after short-bout balance learning in healthy young adults. thesis, Human Movement Sciences.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Introduction: It is unclear how rapidly healthy humans can learn a complex balance skill. We examined the effects of a short bout of unstable balance-board training on balance skill acquisition, retention, specificity, and transferability and probed the underlying neural plasticity using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Methods: Healthy young adults (n=36, age 20.9, 18M) were randomly assigned to learn balancing on an unstable board (BAL), cycle while seated (CYC) or sit and rest (CON) for 20 minutes. Before, immediately and one week after the exercise session, we assessed performance of the trained and several untrained balance tasks and probed potential underlying neural mechanisms by TMS. Results: BAL but not CYC or CON improved in the trained balance task by 338.9% (±257.2, effect size [ES]: 1.94), 21.5% (±70.3, ES: 0.07), and 25.8% (± 85.3, ES: 0.05), respectively and BAL (256.0% ±165.5) retained the acquired skill after a 1-week-long off-line, no-training period. No changes occurred in 12 measures of untrained balance outcomes or in 4 TMS measures of supra-spinal excitability (all p>0.05). Conclusions: A single unstable balance-board training session but not cycling or rest improved balance skills by margins observed in long term studies without transfer to other balancing skills or related change in neural excitability. Future studies will examine in more detail and by additional methods the neuromechanical mechanisms and the time course underlying the remarkable level of specificity of learning a balance skill. Key words: Balance training; Transferability; Specificity; Transcranial magnetic stimulation
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Nandi, T. and Lamoth, prof. dr. C.J.C. and Hortobagyi, prof. dr. T. |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 20 May 2022 12:29 |
| Last Modified: | 20 May 2022 12:29 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3395 |
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