Amanda Wurz1,2, Gladys Ayson3, Andra M Smith3, Jennifer Brunet4,5,6. 1. School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, 125 University Private, Montpetit Hall, Room 339, K1N 6N5, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 2. Present affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Alberta, Calgary, Canada. 3. School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 4. School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, 125 University Private, Montpetit Hall, Room 339, K1N 6N5, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. jennifer.brunet@uottawa.ca. 5. Cancer Therapeutic Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. jennifer.brunet@uottawa.ca. 6. Institut du savoir Montfort, Hôpital Montfort, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. jennifer.brunet@uottawa.ca.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:Executive functioning (EF) deficits are troubling for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) after cancer treatment. Physical activity (PA) may enhance neural activity underlying EF among older adults affected by cancer. Establishing whether PA enhances neural activity among AYAs is warranted. As part of a two-arm, mixed-methods pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT), this proof-of-concept sub-study sought to answer the following questions: (1) is it feasible to use neuroimaging with EF tasks to assess neural activity changes following a 12-week PA intervention? And (2) is there preliminary evidence that a 12-week PA intervention enhances neural activity among AYAs after cancer treatment? METHODS: AYAs in the pilot RCT were approached for enrollment into this sub-study. Those who were eligible and enrolled, completed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with EF tasks (letter n-back, Go/No Go) pre- and post-PA intervention. Sub-study enrollment, adherence to scheduled fMRI scans, outliers, missing data, and EF task performance data were collected. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) analyses, and paired sample t-tests. RESULTS:Nine eligible participants enrolled into this sub-study; six attended scheduled fMRI scans. One outlier was identified and was subsequently removed from the analytical sample. Participants showed no differences in EF task performance from pre- to post-PA intervention. Increases in neural activity in brain regions responsible for motor control, information encoding and processing, and decision-making were observed post-PA intervention (p < 0.05; n = 5). CONCLUSIONS: Findings show that fMRI scans during EF tasks detected neural activity changes (as assessed by the BOLD signal) from pre- to post-PA intervention. Results thus suggest future trials confirming that PA enhances neural activity underlying EF are needed, though feasibility issues require careful consideration to ensure trial success. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03016728. Registered January 11, 2017, clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03016728.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Executive functioning (EF) deficits are troubling for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) after cancer treatment. Physical activity (PA) may enhance neural activity underlying EF among older adults affected by cancer. Establishing whether PA enhances neural activity among AYAs is warranted. As part of a two-arm, mixed-methods pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT), this proof-of-concept sub-study sought to answer the following questions: (1) is it feasible to use neuroimaging with EF tasks to assess neural activity changes following a 12-week PA intervention? And (2) is there preliminary evidence that a 12-week PA intervention enhances neural activity among AYAs after cancer treatment? METHODS: AYAs in the pilot RCT were approached for enrollment into this sub-study. Those who were eligible and enrolled, completed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with EF tasks (letter n-back, Go/No Go) pre- and post-PA intervention. Sub-study enrollment, adherence to scheduled fMRI scans, outliers, missing data, and EF task performance data were collected. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) analyses, and paired sample t-tests. RESULTS: Nine eligible participants enrolled into this sub-study; six attended scheduled fMRI scans. One outlier was identified and was subsequently removed from the analytical sample. Participants showed no differences in EF task performance from pre- to post-PA intervention. Increases in neural activity in brain regions responsible for motor control, information encoding and processing, and decision-making were observed post-PA intervention (p < 0.05; n = 5). CONCLUSIONS: Findings show that fMRI scans during EF tasks detected neural activity changes (as assessed by the BOLD signal) from pre- to post-PA intervention. Results thus suggest future trials confirming that PA enhances neural activity underlying EF are needed, though feasibility issues require careful consideration to ensure trial success. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03016728. Registered January 11, 2017, clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03016728.
Authors: Eli J Cornblath; Evelyn Tang; Graham L Baum; Tyler M Moore; Azeez Adebimpe; David R Roalf; Ruben C Gur; Raquel E Gur; Fabio Pasqualetti; Theodore D Satterthwaite; Danielle S Bassett Journal: Neuroimage Date: 2018-12-01 Impact factor: 6.556
Authors: Emilie T Reas; Gail A Laughlin; Jaclyn Bergstrom; Donna Kritz-Silverstein; Erin L Richard; Elizabeth Barrett-Connor; Linda K McEvoy Journal: Age Ageing Date: 2019-03-01 Impact factor: 10.668
Authors: Andreana N Holowatyj; Richard Viskochil; Dominik Ose; Benjamin Tingey; Benjamin Haaland; Dalton Wilson; Mikaela Larson; Sara Feltz; Mark A Lewis; Howard Colman; Cornelia M Ulrich Journal: J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol Date: 2020-07-29 Impact factor: 2.223