Acute and chronic effects of exercise-cognition interactions on neuroplasticity

加拿大日益增长的老龄化人口加速了对干预措施的需求，这些干预措施可以降低与年龄相关的认知能力下降的风险，从而损害功能独立性。锻炼和认知训练计划有望成为健康老龄化的经济和实用干预措施；然而，这些计划需要建立在对调节大脑功能的因素的全面理解的基础上。这项研究的目标是发现运动-认知相互作用的神经机制，这反过来将为有效实施运动和认知训练计划提供信息，作为最佳大脑功能的治疗工具。***运动和认知训练代表不同类型的压力挑战（生理和心理），产生类似的生理反应，影响共同的大脑区域。该研究将验证运动和认知训练诱导神经可塑性的假设，神经可塑性对压力源的影响作出反应，以维持体内平衡。重要的是，受压力反应影响的适应大脑区域也支持学习和记忆，这可能是这些训练计划影响认知的关键方式。事实上，剧烈的运动压力会改善学习和记忆。我们的研究将首次追踪大脑如何适应长期运动和认知训练，以及当训练停止时这些适应是否会逆转。我们还将研究通过共同的潜在机制将运动与认知训练相结合是否有协同效益。这些关键目标将使用一种独特的多层次方法来确定神经可塑性，以及大规模脑网络中的功能变化如何影响直接支持神经元功能和存活的生长因子的分子变化。***尽管人们对促进大脑功能的锻炼和认知训练非常感兴趣，但对潜在机制的清晰理解将使这些计划提升为基于证据的实践。在不久的将来，我们对运动-认知相互作用如何影响大脑的理解将导致有效的运动处方，以获得最佳的大脑功能，帮助加拿大日益增长的老龄化人口在整个生命周期中保持身心健康

Canada's growing aging population is accelerating the need for interventions that reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline that compromises functional independence. Exercise and cognitive training programs show promise as economical and practical interventions for healthy aging; however, these programs need to be grounded in a comprehensive understanding of the factors regulating brain function. The goal of the proposed research is to discover the neural mechanisms underlying exercise-cognition interactions, which in turn will inform effective implementation of exercise and cognitive training programs as a therapeutic tool for optimal brain function.***Exercise and cognitive training represent different types of stress challenge (physical vs. psychological) that produce similar physiological responses affecting common brain regions. The proposed research will test the hypothesis that exercise and cognitive training induce neuroplasticity that responds to the effects of the stressors to maintain homeostasis. Critically, adapted brain regions impacted by the stress response also support learning and memory and this may be a critical way through which these training programs impact cognition. Indeed, an acute bout of exercise stress improves learning and memory. Our research will be the first to track how the brain adapts to chronic exercise and cognitive training and whether these adaptations are reversed when training stops. We will also examine whether there are synergistic benefits of combining exercise with cognitive training through common underlying mechanisms. These key goals will be examined using a unique multilevel approach to determine neuroplasticity and how functional changes in large-scale brain networks impact molecular changes in the growth factors that directly support neuronal function and survival.***Although there is great interest in promoting exercise and cognitive training for brain function, a clear understanding of the underlying mechanisms will elevate these programs to evidence-based practice. In the near future, our understanding of how exercise-cognition interactions impact the brain will lead to effective prescriptions of exercise for optimal brain function to help Canada's growing aging population maintain physical and mental fitness across the lifespan.**