ECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH11
INTRODUCTION: Acute aerobic exercise has been shown to enhance executive function, whereas task performance has been shown to be sensitive to exercise intensity (1). Evidence from electroencephalography (EEG) suggests that acute exercise alters task-related cortical activity during executive tasks, although direct comparisons of exercise intensity remain limited, particularly for working memory paradigms (2). Therefore, this study examined the effects of light- and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (cycling) on short-term working memory performance and stimulus-locked EEG activity. METHODS: In a randomised, counterbalanced, within-participant crossover design, fourteen healthy adults (9 females) completed two experimental trials. In each trial, participants performed a numerical 2-back task before, and after, 20-min of cycling exercise at either light intensity (30–40% heart rate reserve [HRR]; Borg RPE 9–11) or moderate intensity (40–59% HRR; Borg RPE 12–13). Reaction time (RT), accuracy, and throughput were recorded. EEG was collected during task performance and transformed using current source density (CSD) interpolation. Time domain EEG was then extracted from the CSD transformed data. Cognitive performance was assessed using 2 (Intensity: light, moderate) × 2 (Time: pre, post) repeated-measures ANOVAs. Event-related potential (ERP) amplitude differences were examined using an exploratory cluster-based permutation analysis to identify potential event related components. RESULTS: RT decreased following exercise (main effect of Time: F(1,13)=17.85, p<0.001): light-intensity 33.81 ± 8.9 ms, and moderate-intensity, 25.29 ± 9.4 ms, while accuracy remained unchanged (p range p = 0.636 to p = 1). Throughput improved post-exercise (F(1,13)=15.40, p=.002). No main effects for intensity or interaction effects were observed for cognitive performance measures (p range p = 0.05 to p = 1). ERP analyses revealed significant clusters differentiating light- and moderate-intensity exercise in time windows corresponding to P300 components. Light-intensity exercise identified one significant negative cluster, indicating a reduction in P300 amplitude in the right frontal and frontocentral electrodes. While moderate-intensity exercise identified four significant positive clusters localized over parietal and parieto-occipital regions, indicating an increase in P300 amplitude. These results suggest an intensity-dependent modulation of task-related cortical activity. CONCLUSION: Acute aerobic exercise improved short-term working memory reaction time and throughput without compromising accuracy, independent of exercise intensity. Although cognitive performance outcomes were comparable across intensities, ERP findings suggest that exercise intensity influences cortical processing during working memory performance. These findings support the utility of EEG for examining intensity-related neural effects of acute exercise. References: [1] Chang et al., 2025 [2] Kao et al., 2020
Read CV Juan BadariottiECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH11
INTRODUCTION: Osteoarthritis is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders, often leading to pain and reduced physical function. Physical activity is recommended by international organizations as an effective non-pharmaceutical strategy to improve function and reduce disease-related pain in osteoarthritis patients. However, patients frequently do not meet the physical activity levels recommended (i.e. 6000 steps/day for patients with osteoarthritis), highlighting the need for targeted support strategies. The PIANISSIMO study aims to evaluate adherence and retention of patients in a 6-month intervention designed to promote physical activity in patients with osteoarthritis. Additionally, the study seeks to explore the relationship between daily step counts and pain. METHODS: PIANISSIMO is an innovative intervention based on the “Capability, Opportunity, Motivation Behaviour” (COM-B) framework. The intervention included several behaviour change techniques such as feedback on daily steps, weekly personal goal setting, and population-tailored daily notifications about practice opportunities, benefits of physical activity for osteoarthritis and general health. The intervention is delivered through a dedicated mobile app, which also collects demographic data, connection logs, daily step count and weekly pain questionnaires (Likert scale, from 0 to 10). Adherence is assessed by the change in mean weekly connection rate between the first and last month, as well as questionnaires response rates. Retention rate is reported as percentage of participants who continued to log into the app through the full 6 month intervention. The relationship between physical activity and pain is examined using a linear mixed effects model. RESULTS: Sixty-nine participants were included (59.9±7.6 years, BMI 27.3±5.5 kg.m-2). Adherence decreases by 33% over the 6-month period, from 6.9±3.2 logs/week in the first month to 4.6±4.3 logs/week in the last month (p=0.01). In total, participants completed 76% of the pain questionnaires, 56% of the WOMAC questionnaires and 28% of the weekly questionnaire on daily step goals. Retention rate was 52.5%. On average, participants performed 6878±3701 steps/day during the 6 months and they answered 20 pain questionnaires, with mean pain score = 2.7±2.4 (a.u. from 0 to 10). There was no significant association between pain and mean daily steps recorded over 1, 3 and 7 days before or after the reported pain score. CONCLUSION: This 6 month mobile app–based intervention demonstrated high adherence and moderate retention rate. These rates are within the range expected in our hypothesis (both ≥33%), indicating that digital support tools are feasible for promoting physical activity in individuals with osteoarthritis. Despite good completion of pain questionnaires, participants set relatively few weekly step goals. Overall, PIANISSIMO underscores both the potential and the limitations of app based interventions for long term physical activity promotion among people with osteoarthritis.
Read CV Mathilde MURAECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH11
INTRODUCTION: Sarcopenia is a progressive and generalized decline in muscle strength, mass and physical performance, associated with ageing. These consequences create a major public-health and socio-economic burden due to reduced quality of life and the growing demand for long-term care. Although exercise is considered a cornerstone for prevention and treatment, evidence from long-term randomized controlled trials conducted in real-life, home-based settings remains limited. The Grow Your Muscle (GYM) project was designed to address this gap by testing whether a digitally monitored, home-based resistance-training program delivered via smartphone application could improve muscle functional capacity, body composition and muscle quality over 48 weeks in older adults with sarcopenia. The study specifically aimed to determine whether a greater proportion of participants in the Exercise Group would achieve a clinically meaningful improvement in handgrip strength (≥20%) compared with a Control Group receiving standard lifestyle recommendations. METHODS: Sedentary adults ≥60 years with sarcopenia (low appendicular skeletal muscle mass index by bioimpedance analysis and/or low handgrip) were randomized 1:1 to Exercise Group (EG) or Control Group (CG; WHO lifestyle advice). EG completed 4 weekly ~40-min sessions delivered via app (progressive resistance and balance), with chest-strap heart-rate monitoring to quantify adherence and intensity. Assessments at baseline and week 48 (W48) included handgrip, 30-s chair-stand, isometric knee-extensor strength (right/left), Mini-BESTest and 6MWT; body composition by DEXA (arm/leg/total lean mass, ASMMI) and thigh morphology by MRI (CSA, IMAT). Proportions were compared with Chi-square; within-group changes with Wilcoxon; between-group differences with Mann–Whitney. RESULTS: Of 196 enrolled participants, 142 (72.4%) completed W48 (drop-out 27.6%). Median adherence in EG was 78% (IQR 59–92). A ≥20% handgrip increase was achieved by 8/73 (11%) in EG vs 0/69 (0%) in CG (p=0.022). EG improved handgrip (p=0.003), chair-stand (p<0.0001), 6MWT (p=0.023), bilateral knee-extensor strength (p<0.0001) and Mini-BESTest (p<0.0001). Between-group differences favored EG for handgrip (p=0.0003), chair-stand (p<0.0001), and knee-extensor strength (right p=0.008; left p=0.012). DEXA showed reduced upper-limb lean mass in both groups (EG p=0.001; CG p=0.029) and increased lower-limb lean mass in EG (p=0.02), without significant between-group differences. MRI showed increased thigh CSA in EG (p=0.032) vs CG (between-group p=0.05), with no IMAT changes. CONCLUSION: A 48-week digitally monitored home-based resistance-training program is feasible, safe and clinically effective for improving strength and functional capacity in older adults with sarcopenia, with selective lower-limb morphological adaptations. These findings support scalable, digitally guided long-term exercise prescriptions for real-life sarcopenia management.
Read CV Matteo BonatoECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH11