Preserving cognitive and motor abilities during ageing: exploring the impact of aerobic training on brain connectivity in older adults

Background: Ageing leads to cognitive and motor alterations, while aerobic exercise serves as an effective countermeasure, preserving brain health and motor abilities (1). No studies have so far examined the chronic effect of aerobic exercise on the brain connectivity for the neuronal networks integrating sensory modalities with planning and execution of voluntary movements. Therefore, this study investigated whether endurance training could enhance the motor performance and functional connectivity particularly within the somato-motor network in older adults. Methods: 24 endurance older athletes (EA, 50% females, competitive runners, swimmers and cyclists for at least 5 years, 65.71±4.14 yrs.) and 24 age-matched untrained controls (UT, 50% females, 68.13±4.34 yrs.) were recruited. We recorded quadriceps femoris (QF) force during isometric maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Physical performance was assessed using the chair-to-stand test (CST) and the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT). Then, participants underwent a resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) acquisition to compute the functional connectivity between the Supplementary Motor Area (SMA) and primary and secondary somatosensory cortices (S1 and S2), and Eriksen flanker test (2), a cognitive test that evaluates the response speed to congruent/incongruent visual stimuli via a bimanual task. Lastly, we measured the concentration of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in serum, being recognized as neuroprotective factors. Results: EA showed greater QF force (14.59%) and, in the first 200 ms of muscle contraction, the rate of force development significantly differed between groups (p<0.0001). CST time was lower (-18.12%) and SEBT score was higher in EA (8.42%). Then, EA performed better in the flanker test, with a 9.7% faster response to visual stimuli. For EA vs UT, the power analysis over time of the EEG signals in different frequency bands revealed: (i) a higher connectivity between SMA and lS2 in beta1 (13-20Hz), (ii) a lower connectivity between SMA and rS1 and lS1 and rS2 in delta (1-4Hz), (iii) a lower connectivity within S1 and between lS1 and S2 in gamma (30-50Hz). BDNF did not differ between the two groups, whereas a trend for VEGF to lower in EA vs UT was observed. Conclusion: Endurance-trained older adults exhibited improved motor performance and response speed compared to age-matched untrained individuals. Our EEG findings suggest that this improvement may be mediated by changes in the somato-motor network that assists the primary motor cortex to generate voluntary movements by integrating sensory stimuli. Indeed, the combination of low connectivity in beta1 and high connectivity in gamma may imply increased motor memory consolidation and decreased effort in movement planning and execution, respectively (3). Moreover, most of the research in humans focuses on the effects of acute exercise on the circulating levels of BDNF and VEGF, motivating the need to assess the physiological response of older individuals to chronic exercise through alternative biomarkers. References: 1. Silva, 2024 (Trends Neurosci.); 2. Eriksen, 1979 (Percept. Psychophys); 3. Tatti, 2023 (NeuroImage). Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3 funded by Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (PNRR), CUP C93C22005240007. This abstract was presented at the American Physiology Summit 2025 and is only available in HTML format. There is no downloadable file or PDF version. The Physiology editorial board was not involved in the peer review process.