A1 Journal article (refereed)
Physical activity and aerobic fitness in relation to local and interhemispheric functional connectivity in adolescents’ brains (2021)
Ruotsalainen, I., Glerean, E., Karvanen, J., Gorbach, T., Renvall, V., Syväoja, H. J., Tammelin, T. H., & Parviainen, T. (2021). Physical activity and aerobic fitness in relation to local and interhemispheric functional connectivity in adolescents’ brains. Brain and Behavior, 11(2), Article e01941. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.1941
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Ruotsalainen, Ilona; Glerean, Enrico; Karvanen, Juha; Gorbach, Tetiana; Renvall, Ville; Syväoja, Heidi J.; Tammelin, Tuija H.; Parviainen, Tiina
Journal or series: Brain and Behavior
eISSN: 2162-3279
Publication year: 2021
Volume: 11
Issue number: 2
Article number: e01941
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Publication country: United States
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.1941
Publication open access: Openly available
Publication channel open access: Open Access channel
Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/73729
Abstract
Adolescents have experienced decreased aerobic fitness levels and insufficient physical activity levels over the past decades. While both physical activity and aerobic fitness are related to physical and mental health, little is known concerning how they manifest in the brain during this stage of development, characterized by significant physical and psychosocial changes. The aim of the study is to examine the associations between both physical activity and aerobic fitness with brains’ functional connectivity.
Methods
Here, we examined how physical activity and aerobic fitness are associated with local and interhemispheric functional connectivity of the adolescent brain (n = 59), as measured with resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Physical activity was measured by hip‐worn accelerometers, and aerobic fitness by a maximal 20‐m shuttle run test.
Results
We found that higher levels of moderate‐to‐vigorous intensity physical activity, but not aerobic fitness, were linked to increased local functional connectivity as measured by regional homogeneity in 13–16‐year‐old participants. However, we did not find evidence for significant associations between adolescents’ physical activity or aerobic fitness and interhemispheric connectivity, as indicated by homotopic connectivity.
Conclusions
These results suggest that physical activity, but not aerobic fitness, is related to local functional connectivity in adolescents. Moreover, physical activity shows an association with a specific brain area involved in motor functions but did not display any widespread associations with other brain regions. These results can advance our understanding of the behavior–brain associations in adolescents.
Keywords: young people; physical activity; physical fitness; brain; functional magnetic resonance imaging
Free keywords: adolescence; aerobic fitness; brain; fMRI; functional connectivity; physical activity
Contributing organizations
Ministry reporting: Yes
Reporting Year: 2021
JUFO rating: 1
