Journal article
Basal Ganglia Volume Is Associated with Aerobic Fitness in Preadolescent Children
Developmental neuroscience, Vol.32(3), pp.249-256
08/2010
DOI: 10.1159/000316648
PMCID: PMC3696376
PMID: 20693803
Abstract
The present investigation is the first to explore the association between childhood aerobic fitness and basal ganglia structure and function. Rodent research has revealed that exercise influences the striatum by increasing dopamine signaling and angiogenesis. In children, higher aerobic fitness levels are associated with greater hippocampal volumes, superior performance on tasks of attentional and interference control, and elevated event-related brain potential indices of executive function. The present study used magnetic resonance imaging to investigate if higher-fit and lower-fit 9- and 10-year-old children exhibited differential volumes of other subcortical brain regions, specifically the basal ganglia involved in attentional control. The relationship between aerobic fitness, dorsal and ventral striatum volumes and performance on an attention and inhibition Eriksen flanker task was also examined. The results indicated that higher-fit children showed superior flanker task performance compared to lower-fit children. Higher-fit children also showed greater volumes of the dorsal striatum, and dorsal striatum volume was negatively associated with behavioral interference. The results support the claim that the dorsal striatum is involved in cognitive control and response resolution and that these cognitive processes vary as a function of aerobic fitness. No relationship was found between aerobic fitness, the volume of the ventral striatum and flanker performance. The findings suggest that increased childhood aerobic fitness is associated with greater dorsal striatal volumes and that this is related to enhanced cognitive control. Because children are becoming increasingly overweight, unhealthy and unfit, understanding the neurocognitive benefits of an active lifestyle during childhood has important public health and educational implications.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Basal Ganglia Volume Is Associated with Aerobic Fitness in Preadolescent Children
- Creators
- Laura Chaddock - Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USAKirk I Erickson - Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USARuchika Shaurya Prakash - Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USAMatt VanPatter - Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USAMichelle W Voss - Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USAMatthew B Pontifex - Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USALauren B Raine - Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USACharles H Hillman - Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USAArthur F Kramer - Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Developmental neuroscience, Vol.32(3), pp.249-256
- DOI
- 10.1159/000316648
- PMID
- 20693803
- PMCID
- PMC3696376
- NLM abbreviation
- Dev Neurosci
- ISSN
- 0378-5866
- eISSN
- 1421-9859
- Publisher
- S. Karger AG
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/2010
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Record Identifier
- 9984002488502771
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