TMS-evoked Potentials During Aerobic Exercise

NCT ID: NCT06084455

Last Updated: 2025-02-07

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 30 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-10-15
• Study Completion Date: 2025-02-04

Brief Summary

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.

Detailed 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.

Conditions

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Electroencephalography; Aerobic Exercise

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Aerobic exercise

30 minutes of aerobic exercise will be performed by the participants before and after cortical connectivity measurements.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Aerobic exercise

Intervention Type: OTHER

30 minutes of aerobic exercise on a stationary bike

Interventions

Aerobic exercise

30 minutes of aerobic exercise on a stationary bike

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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)

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Aalborg University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Enrico De Martino

Dr

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Aalborg University

Gistrup, North Denmark, Denmark

Countries

Denmark

Other Identifiers

N-20210047-4

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id