TMS-evoked Potentials During Aerobic Exercise (TMS-EEGxercise)

Aalborg University

Status

Completed

Conditions

Aerobic Exercise

Electroencephalography

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Treatments

Other: Aerobic exercise

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT06084455

N-20210047-4

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study investigates the modification of the local-to-global connectivity pattern in response to a session of aerobic exercise. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) will be applied to elicit electroencephalography (EEG) responses in healthy volunteers. The TMS-evoked potentials (TEPs) will be recorded and serve as a reflection of cortical reactivity and connectivity to TMS.

Full description

Chronic musculoskeletal pain disorders rank second only to mental and behavioural disorders as a major contributor to worldwide years lived with disability. Chronic musculoskeletal pain restricts mobility, decreases cardiorespiratory capacity and musculoskeletal function, and ultimately reduces exercise capacity and quality of life. Thus, there is an urgent need for new, effective, and affordable strategies to address this growing problem, particularly in health systems around the world.

Abnormal brain connectivity patterns disrupt normal brain function in a specific neural network, causing brain circuit malfunctions and resulting in symptoms such as chronic pain. The advent of electroencephalography (EEG) compatible with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS-EEG) has allowed the measurement of the cortical excitability and connectivity of a single pulse of TMS in any scalp region, providing insights into cortical excitability and connectivity that were not previously possible with techniques exclusively based on MEP, create a map of activation caused by a localized pulse of stimulation. Furthermore, TMS-EEG allows recording the spread and the characteristics of the perturbations caused by a single TMS pulse across the cortex (recorded by several electrodes from an EEG cap). Physical exercise has been shown to have a positive impact on brain functioning. Regular exercise promotes the growth of new brain cells and improves the survival of existing ones. Studies have shown that regular exercise improves cognitive function, memory, and mood, and exercise has been linked to increased production of neurotransmitters, hormones, and growth factors that promote brain health. However, to date, no studies have investigated the effect of aerobic exercise on brain excitability and connectivity.

Enrollment

30 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 60 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Healthy men and women
Speak and understand English

Exclusion criteria

Drug addiction defined as the use of cannabis, opioids or other drugs
Previous neurologic, musculoskeletal or mental illnesses
Lack of ability to cooperate
History of chronic pain or current acute pain
Contraindications to rTMS application (history of epilepsy, metal in the head or jaw etc.).
Failure to pass the "TASS questionnaire" (TASS = Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Adult Safety Screen)