Neural signature of the (in)ability to turn physical activity intentions into actions

如果在体育活动行为的神经心理学中忽视了导致我们最大限度地减少努力的一个基本进化原则，那会是什么情况？虽然体育活动的回报价值已经被广泛研究，但在这方面，最大限度地减少体力活动的行为却被忽视了。然而，在进化过程中，努力最小化一直是至关重要的。此外，这一原理已经在运动控制、生物力学和进化生物学等多个领域得到了证实。因此，将体力劳动最小化视为调节体力活动行为的一个基本因素是很难的。在我的计划范围内，理论和实验工作已经开始，并支持在体力活动中自动吸引到最小的努力。为了进一步验证这一假说，本资助周期的目标是研究i)与奖励相关的大脑活动是否与对体力努力最小化的自动吸引有关，ii)神经过程是否抵消这种自动吸引，以及iii)哪些因素影响上述联系和过程(例如，性别、年龄、奖励敏感度、近期和实时能量消耗)。为了确保研究中的结构只与体力变化有关，将采用联想条件范式，系统地将中性几何图形与不同的努力模式联系起来：增加、减少和恒定。由此产生的条件刺激将被用于神经行为范式，跨越神经成像和神经刺激技术，以及评估与努力相关的线索的自动评估的行为任务。这一赠款周期的结果将有助于该方案的长期目标，旨在修改支持通过培训将努力降至最低的自动吸引机制。在这一赠款周期内，将培训一批多样化和包容性高的本科生和研究生，使他们能够：i)构思强大的神经行为实验范例；ii)产生与体力活动心理学和运动生理学相关的行为方法方面的知识和专业知识；iii)收集和分析神经成像和神经生理学数据(脑电、磁共振成像、经颅磁刺激)；iv)进行和理解高级统计学(例如混合效应模型)；v)获得高级科学写作技能。这个融合了神经科学、心理学和生理学的概念和方法创新所产生的知识将显著增强我们对管理与努力相关的刺激的自动评估的大脑过程的理解，这最终将导致对将体力活动意图转化为行动的能力的潜在机制的更好理解。

What if a fundamental principle of evolution that leads us to minimize effort had been neglected in the neuropsychology of physical activity behavior? While the rewarding value of physical activity has been widely studied, behaviors minimizing physical effort have been neglected in this regard. Yet, effort minimization has been critical during evolution. Moreover, this principle has been evidenced in multiple domains such as motor control, biomechanics, and evolutionary biology. Therefore, it is difficult to conceive of physical effort minimization differently than as an essential factor in the regulation of physical activity behavior. Within the scope of my program, theoretical and experimental work has already been initiated and supports the automatic attraction to effort minimization in physical activity. To further test this hypothesis, the objectives of this grant cycle are to investigate i) whether reward-related brain activity is associated with the automatic attraction towards physical effort minimization, ii) whether neural processes counteract this automatic attraction, and iii) which factors influence the aforementioned association and processes (e.g., sex, age, reward sensitivity, recent and real-time energy expenditure). To ensure that the constructs under investigation are exclusively related to physical effort variations, an associative conditioning paradigm will be conducted to systematically associate neutral geometrical figures with different effort patterns: increasing, decreasing, and constant. The resulting conditioned stimuli will be used in neurobehavioral paradigms crossing neuroimaging and neurostimulation techniques with behavioral tasks assessing the automatic evaluation of effort-related cues. Findings from this grant cycle will contribute to the long-term objectives of the program aiming at modifying the mechanisms supporting the automatic attraction towards effort minimization through training. During this grant cycle, a diverse and inclusive group of undergraduate and graduate highly qualified personnel will be trained to i) conceive robust neurobehavioral experimental paradigms, ii) generate knowledge and develop expertise in behavioral methods related to the psychology of physical activity and the physiology of exercise, iii) collect and analyze neuroimaging and neurophysiological data (electroencephalography, magnetic resonance imaging, transcranial magnetic stimulation), iv) conduct and understand advanced statistics (e.g., mixed effects models), and v) gain advanced scientific writing skills. Knowledge that will emerge from the conceptual and methodological innovations of this program merging neuroscience, psychology, and physiology will significantly enhance our understanding of the brain processes governing the automatic evaluation of effort-related stimuli, which will ultimately lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the (in)ability to turn physical activity intentions into actions.