Brain-Body Interactions Symposium

Conference Themes

Our event addresses the following themes:

Programme

Presenters / Abstracts

Social & Emotion Session (Parallel Session 1)

Prof Antonia Hamilton: Measuring real-world social synchrony to combat loneliness

Paula Wicher, Jamie A Ward, Antonia Hamilton

University College London, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience

We know that social connections are incredibly important to mental health and that loneliness is a risk factor for both physical and mental health difficulties.  However, most studies of social connections use questionnaires which are slow and intrusive.  Measures of the movement coordination between people can potentially provide a rapid simple quantification of how people interact and connect in group and pairwise contexts.  We are pioneering a system of wearable sensors which track behavioural coordination between groups of people in real world contexts including autistic children in normal lessons, neurotypical children in afterschool clubs and young adults at social events.  We find the sensor system is feasible and provides rich meaningful data tracking social connections.  In young adults, sensor data relates to the tasks participants do, the homophily of personality between pairs of people and how much they like each other after the session.  This new method opens the way to a wide range of studies of real world social interactions in group contexts including longitudinal tracking of social relationships.

Dr Roeland Heerema: How mood-related physiological states bias economic decisions

Roeland Heerema & Mathias Pessiglione

University College London, Max Planck Centre for Computational Psychiatry

When making decisions, humans are susceptible to all sorts of biases, relative to rational norms. An important factor is incidental changes in affective states, such as variations in mood between happiness and sadness. We previously developed a computational model, in which mood affects choice by forming a predisposition to face costs and seek more rewards. Here, we generalized this theory to account for how specific inductions of happiness and sadness affect different types of economic decisions involving a tradeoff between costs (risk, delay, effort) and benefits (financial rewards). Across exploratory and confirmatory studies (N = 94), we observed a consistent bias exerted by transitory mood states, whether they were assessed through self-reports (rated happiness minus rated sadness) or inferred from physiological measures (valence of facial expression times intensity of autonomous arousal). This choice bias was best explained by our computational model, with a mood-scaled bonus added to the value of the more rewarded but more costly option, irrespective of the cost type (risk, delay or effort). In addition, gaze tracking during decision making confirmed that the choice bias was driven by an early preference for the mood-congruent option. Together, these results demonstrate the feasibility of predicting irrational choices from objective measures of affective states.

Dr Tao Bi: Exploring the design of conversational agents to support runners in self-reflection and self-reporting of subjective experience

Tao Bi, Nadia Berthouze, Catherine Holloway, Aneesha Singh, and Enrico Costanza

University College London, Interaction Centre, Division of Psychology and Language Science, Department of Computer Science, Global Business School for Health

Running transcends mere physical metrics like distance, speed, or performance; it encompasses a rich tapestry of subjective experiences, such as the joy of the flow, the bodily sensations of muscles working and breath rhythms, the pain and discomfort, the emotions of elation or frustration, and the determination required to push through barriers. Understanding these complex, multifaceted, and dynamic experiences is crucial not only for optimizing training strategies and preventing injuries but also for enhancing overall well-being and shaping a runner's self-perception and identity. Capturing such experiences in sports psychology often relies on self-reporting approaches. However, due to the complexity of these experiences, athletes often struggle to articulate their feelings, and traditional self-reporting methods may not capture the nuanced, dynamic nature of in-situ experiences.

Dr Bi will present his research on designing conversational agents and wearable technology that facilitate more natural and ubiquitous interactions with athletes, enabling richer self-reflection and reporting of lived experiences. The talk will discuss the impact of such AI tech supported self-reporting on runners' experiences and on the quality of self-reported data and propose design implications for these technologies. This presentation bridges the symposium's themes of sports psychology and technology for brain-body interfaces, offering insights into how Human-Computer Interaction research can enhance our understanding and support of athletes' subjective experiences.

Dr Laura Rai: Delta-band inter-brain synchrony reflects continuous and collective audience engagement with live performances

Laura Rai, Haeeun Lee, Emma Becke, Carlos Trenado, Sonia Abad-Hernando, Matthias Sperling, Diego Vidaurre, Melanie Wald-Fuhrmann, Daniel C Richardson, Jamie A Ward, and Guido Orgs

University College London, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience

Watching live dance, theatre, or music events is an inherently social activity in which people often share a highly emotional experience. Yet, neuroscientific research into aesthetic appreciation of the performing arts has been almost exclusively conducted on individual people watching or listening to video or music recordings in a laboratory. Here we present results from two (mobile) EEG studies measuring neural synchrony between audience members while watching live and recorded dance performances (‘Detective Work’). In Study 1 (N = 69), we computed inter-subject correlations (ISC) between audiences watching live dance and found that delta-band synchrony among audience members varied with structural features of the choreography. The choreographer’s artistic intentions were significant predictors of ISC and of collective audience engagement as collected from an independent sample of viewers matched for dance experience.  In Study 2 (N = 28) we measured synchrony among a group of participants watching a video recording of the performance individually, rather than as a group. Delta-band synchrony was significantly greater in the live compared to lab condition. Collectively, these findings allow us to delineate whether audience brain synchrony reflects a genuinely shared co-present experience or simply the perception of a common stimulus. By directly comparing ISCs during the collective experience of a live performance to ISCs from people watching the same performance as video on their own, we show that ISCs are indeed enhanced when people watch a performance live and together. Inter-brain synchrony may therefore be a mechanism for cultural transmission in live events.

Miss Dwaynica Greaves: Measuring the sense of self of professional actors in real-world environments

University College London, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience

Over the past 5 years we have developed brain imaging paradigms to measure the sense of self of professional actors whilst they rehearse and perform. Our research begun with hyperscanning pairs of actors within the rehearsal setting and has led to a current focus on the lone actor performing monologues to a camera. Using portable functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) we have been able to record prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity in actors whilst performing a variety of tasks. Our aims were to investigate how actors respond to their own name vs character or stranger name during acting conditions. This talk will share our methodologies and findings giving insight into PFC activity patterns that can occur during performance.

3-Minute Presentations (Parallel Session 2)

Dr Ayse U Akarca: Decoding the emotional DNA: A novel strategy to manage haemostatic balance

University College London, Medical Sciences

For decades heart and mind were considered as separate entities, there is now enough scientific evidence in which responses of one system affect the other. As genetic information is passed from parents, fight-or-flight response, one of nature's fundamental defence mechanisms for living being, also transferred from ancestries and enables survival by bringing neuroendocrine, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems into action.  Unlike animals, human beings experience a variety of emotions and their associated feelings such as sadness, fear, happiness, disgust that are the responses to events and situations in everyday life. The origin of emotion has been investigated for centuries but failed to be identified, however the evolutionary theories of emotion have evolved from survival towards responses of thoughts. Both emotional and immune responses are a real-time tool that living beings use to adjust dynamically to the ever-changing environment. Bidirectional interaction between the immune and emotional system can either be protective or harmful for the individual, and therefore both systems need to be at equilibrium. However understanding the complexity of  how short term or continuous dysfunction of the immune/emotional system influences each other needs further investigation. Does continuous stress cause inflammation or constant inflammation cause depression and ultimately an increased risk of diseases? Where is the beginning or where is the end of this vicious system?   Living beings inherit genetic codes, and the fundamental emotions (i.e. survival or adaptation) of the parents. However, an individual's behaviour and environment can cause changes to how the genes work throughout their life. Considering the heart being the first developed organ harnessing the vitality of individuals' lives, would it be possible to think if it has potential to sustain our presence in a disease free body at micro and macro level.

Dr Regwaan Choudhury: What burden do British paediatric athletes face with post-concussion symptoms?

Regwaan Choudhury, Aleena Baby, Preeti Sharma, Yiu Wayn Ker, Temi Balogun, Andrew Stevens, Sheikh Momin, Antonio Belli

University of Birmingham, Institute of Inflammation and Ageing

Introduction and purpose: The Birmingham Sports Concussion Clinic is a combined clinical and academic clinic for patients with sports-related concussions utilising a national referral base. This retrospective cohort study aims to highlight symptomatic challenges which paediatric athletes experience with sports concussions.

Material and Method: An institutional database of all patients attending the sports concussion clinic was curated, including demographic data, concussion history and clinical assessments (e.g. Sport Concussion and Assessment Tool, General Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnare-9). Patients aged ≤18 were included in the exploratory analysis.

Results: 52 athletes (mean age 16.7±1.2 years, 4.2:1 male: female), presented with complicated concussions sustained in a range of sports, rugby being the most common. Concentration difficulty ranked as the most common symptom whilst headaches were reported the most prevalent in those with symptoms exacerbated by physical/mental exertion.

54% presented to the clinic after ≥3 concussions, (mean 2.8 ±2.2 months after the most recent injury). Of 15 patients presenting more than three months post-concussion, 33% reported ‘feeling less than 100%’ with symptoms exacerbated by physical/mental exertion. This was attributed to concentration and memory issues, headaches and emotional dysregulation. 26.7% expressed being ‘more emotional’, 40% expressed mild depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 assessment) and 13.3% reported symptoms of mild anxiety (GAD-7 assessment).

Conclusion: The findings demonstrate a significant symptomatic burden in children and adolescents for prolonged periods after sport-related concussions, which present persisting barriers to return to school and physical activity. Wider access nationally to specialist concussion services may mitigate prolonged post-concussion symptoms, by aiding rehabilitation and recovery, particularly for headaches, concentration, anxiety and depression.

Mr Liam Patel: Cognitive effects of heading in professional football

Liam Patel, Julikram Tarafder, Flaminia Ronca

University College London, Medical School

Background: Large cohort studies have reported that former professional football players have an increased risk of mortality from neurodegenerative disease. Due to emerging concerns regarding the safety of heading the technique is now banned for players under 12.

Aim: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the association between heading exposure and cognitive function in professional football players.

Data sources: A search strategy was devised and entered into seven electronic databases: MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, SportDiscus and PEDro. Two searches were conducted on 7 February 2023 and 5 April 2023.

Eligibility criteria for selecting sources: The following inclusion criteria was set: (1) investigated heading in football; (2) cognitive function was quantitatively measured; (3) study participants were current or former adult professional football players; (4) participant age, sex and level of play were described; (5) observational or experimental peer-reviewed, human studies published in English.

Results: The search identified 563 records. After screening records and applying the eligibility criteria, nine cross-sectional studies (n = 925) were included in the review, investigating 452 current and 473 former players (859 males, 66 females). Six studies (n = 595) reported evidence for an association between heading and impaired cognitive function, while three studies (n = 330) reported no association.

Conclusion: Diverse cognitive domains were investigated, which might underline the disparity in these results. The association between heading and cognitive function in professional football appears likely but remains inconclusive. Methodological heterogeneity and variability in the presentation of results limits the conclusions drawn. Prospective longitudinal studies using standardised methods, and including females, are required to provide evidence to support or refute an association.

Dr Niall Simmons: Perimenopausal physical activity and dementia risk

University College London, Institute of Sports, Exercise and Health

Aim: Mixed-gender studies predominate in the current literature exploring the interaction between physical activity and dementia risk. Considering that menopause appears to contribute to females' increased risk of cognitive decline when compared to males, we aimed to clarify the impact of physical activity in reducing late-life dementia risk specifically in perimenopausal females.

Method and Results: A literature search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, SCOPUS and CINAHL databases yielded fourteen studies for review. A total of 1,304,231 participants, with a mean age of 53.6, were included in the present review. A significant inverse relationship between perimenopausal leisure time physical activity, or physical fitness, and future all-cause dementia risk was found in the majority of studies exploring this interaction. Higher levels of perimenopausal household physical activity and combined non-leisure time physical activity also displayed a favourable impact in lowering dementia risk. A dose-response effect was demonstrated, with approximately 10 MET-hour/week of leisure time physical activity required for significant dementia risk reduction. Three of four papers exploring causality provided analyses proposed to counter the reverse causation argument, suggesting that physical activity may indeed have a protective role in reducing dementia risk post-menopause.

Conclusion: The current systematic review provides promising results regarding the impact of pre- and perimenopausal physical activity on reducing late-life dementia risk, suggesting that promoting perimenopausal physical activity may serve as a crucial tool in mitigating the risk of post-menopausal cognitive decline.

Miss Monica Raviraj: Sex differences between men and eumenorrheic women on a novel spatial anticipation cognitive test

University College London, Sports and Exercise Medical Sciences

Introduction and Purpose: Spatial anticipation involves predicting the timing of an outcome based on visual stimuli, a crucial skill in sports performance. It is hypothesized that females fluctuate in cognitive performance throughout the menstrual cycle due to sex hormones, which can affect injury risk. Investigating sex-specific variables affecting spatial ability can help understand individual performance variation and provide insights into fluctuating injury rates seen in females throughout the month.

Material and Method: A novel spatial anticipation test (SAT) was created in this study; the aim was to test for a sex difference on the SAT and to observe the performance of women in different phases of their menstrual cycle. 
Men, eumenorrheic women (consistent cycle length of 21-35 days for past 12 cycles), and women on birth-control contraception (consistently for a minimum of 3 months) were asked to complete the SAT. A preliminary questionnaire gathered baseline demographic data and assessed sports participation, and self-gender concepts using the short-form Bem Sex Role Inventory. Furthermore, eumenorrheic women were asked whether they tracked their cycle, and to provide the current phase if known.

Results: No significant sex difference was noted between the groups on the SAT; however, a prominent distinction was noted within eumenorrheic women; those in their menstruation phase performed significantly better on the SAT compared to those in their ovulatory phase (Figure 1).

Conclusion: These results support the emerging theory that sex hormones involved in the menstruation cycle could influence spatial ability, and hence explain variations in female sports performance in different phases of the menstrual cycle.

Mr Alexandros Christodoulou: The underlying link between physical health and anxiety and depression

Alexandros Christodoulou, Yael David, Amirah Hadjilah, Irene Di Giulio

King’s College London, Life Sciences and Medicine

Background: Healthcare researchers struggle to quantify mental health using objective biomarkers due to the subjective nature of depression and anxiety. This study investigates objectively measured physical activity and subjective mental health to explore whether an activity tracker can be used as an objective biomarker to quantify mental health.

Methods: 18 healthy participants were recruited (10 female and 8 male, age 30.4 ±14.7, weight 68.6kg ± 11.3, height 1.736m ± 0.095) and wore an activity tracker (AX6 Axivity) on their wrist for 14 days to monitor physical activity. During the same period, the participants filled out a questionnaire to collect data on activity level and mental health (scores 1-10, 1 low, 10 high), including pain, depression, anxiety, mental and physical fatigue. The data was recorded four times daily at set times. Following the 14 days, total number of minutes for each activity intensity (sedentary, mild, moderate, vigorous) was calculated from both the tracker and questionnaire. Linear regressions were run for depression and anxiety scores to determine predictors from the activity levels measured.

Results: Low depression scores were associated with moderate physical activity, recorded by the activity tracker (p=0.005, R2=0.002). Low anxiety scores were associated with mild activity, recorded by the questionnaire (p<0.001, R2=0.024). For both depression and anxiety, low scores were related with fewer minutes spent sitting, recorded by the questionnaire (depression: p<0.001, R2=0.017; anxiety: p=0.002, R2=0.0016).

Conclusion: The results confirm a relationship between mental health scores and physical activity. Albeit a mild relationship, the stratification in activity levels shows a possible differentiation according to activity intensities. At this stage, we cannot conclude that activity trackers indirectly measure depression or anxiety, but we show potential for their quantification over 14 days. Further research is needed to identify whether objectively measuring physical activity can capture daily fluctuations in our results.

Dr Montana Jackson: Higher perceived exertion, but not heart rate, predicts positive improvements in mood state in cycling and strength exercise

Montana Jackson, Paul Burgess, Bernat Puig Valls, Cian Xu, Flaminia Ronca

University College London, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health

Introduction: Acute exercise improves mood, but there is conflicting evidence regarding the types and intensities of exercise that produce the greatest benefits. Furthermore, various methods (objective and subjective) can be used to measure exercise intensity. We aimed to (a) measure acute mood changes, comparing different types of exercise and (b) evaluate the impact of exercise intensity using rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and training impulse (TRIMP).

Methods: Participants (N = 183) completed 3 cycling (easy long ride [ELR], threshold ride [TR] and high intensity ride [HIR]), 1 strength and 1 rest session per week for 8 weeks, and a mood questionnaire pre- and post-exercise. Factor analysis of the mood questionnaire produced two variables, Drive (representing energy/focus) and Serenity (representing calmness/contentment). Repeated measures ANOVAs within-subjects compared changes in Drive and Serenity between exercise types. Linear regressions evaluated the impact of intensity using RPE versus TRIMP.

Results: Compared with rest, the TR, HIR, and strength significantly increased Drive (all p <.01). The TR and HIR significantly increased Serenity (both p <.01). The TR showed the largest ES for Drive and Serenity (d = 0.59, 95% CI [0.31,0.89] and d = 1.00, 95% CI [0.69,1.37] respectively). RPE had a positive linear effect on Drive (Estimate = 0.28, p <.001) and Serenity (Estimate = 0.09, p =.04). The quadratic term for RPE on change in Drive was negative and significant (Estimate = -0.02, p = .005). TRIMP did not significantly influence Drive or Serenity.

Conclusion: Higher RPE was associated with increased Drive and Serenity, independent of exercise type. A negative quadratic term suggests that the relationship between RPE and Drive is non-linear, such that there may be an optimum intensity, warranting further investigation. TRIMP was not significant in predicting mood changes. Subjective intensity measurements may be more important than TRIMP for predicting mood changes.

Mr Merlin Kelly: How our brains react during audio meditation: exploring the EEG response to binaural beats

Merlin Kelly, Tom Carlson, Youngjun Cho

University College London, Computer Science

Meditation is a mind-body practice that has been shown to help alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety disorders, attention deficits, and stress. Novice meditators can incorporate additional stimuli, such as audio, to help achieve a meditative state. One form of stimuli used to help meditators is binaural beats, an auditory illusion that has been actively researched in the meditation field. However, user experience and EEG correlates vary significantly between users while listening to binaural beats during meditation so a one-size-fits-all approach isn't suitable for all users. In this presentation, we will analyse the EEG response while users listened to binaural beats during meditation to determine what features allow insight into if users benefited or where hindered during audio-based meditation. Results show that alpha power has a strong negative correlation with how absorbed user's were during meditation. These findings provide a foundation for future works to determine if we minimise alpha power during meditation through neurofeedback, will this in turn maximise users absorbance.

Mr Yusef Mohammed: An Experimental Interventional Study Investigating the Effects of Football Headers on Immediate Reaction Time in Males and Females

University College London, Division of Medicine

Background: Growing awareness of the potential long-term consequences of football heading on cognition has led the Football Association (FA) to recommend limiting the number of headers players perform in training. However, limited research exists on whether gender influences cognition after headers. This study aims to examine the immediate effects of a heading drill on reaction time (RT) in both males and females and to determine if gender impacts these cognitive changes.

Methods: 54 participants (22.83±4.36, 27 female) were manually allocated to study (n=34) and control (n=20) groups. The study group completed a 10-header-drill with footballs thrown overarm from a distance of 5 metres, whilst the control group remained inactive for 5 minutes. All participants completed immediate pre- and post-intervention tests for RT, which included simple reaction time, sustained attention, and inhibition tasks. 

Results: The study found that RT changes immediately following the heading drill did not differ between the study and control groups (p=0.82). There was also no difference in RT changes between genders immediately after the headers (p=0.72).

Conclusion: The findings suggest that a heading drill does not result in immediate changes in RT, and that gender does not influence these RT changes. These results indicate that adjusting the number of headers performed in training based on gender may be unnecessary. However, the potentially low sensitivity of RT tasks in detecting immediate cognitive effects of head impacts should be considered. Further research using a cognitive battery that includes both RT and other neurophysiological assessments are required.

Mr Rithik Rajan: The Acute Effects of Football Heading on Cognitive Performance and Symptomatology: A Sex Comparison Study

University College London, Sports and Exercise Medicine

Introduction: Repetitive head impacts (RHI) in football are linked to neurodegenerative disease; Alzheimer’s and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. While research on the cognitive effects of heading is conflicting, evidence suggests impairments in reaction time (RT) and attention alongside increases in sub-concussive symptoms. This study aims to evaluate the acute cognitive performance (CP) impact of RHI, considering sex differences, and assesses associated symptoms to contribute to safer sports practices overall.

Methods: Participants (n=66) were recruited using convenience and snowball sampling, following UEFA criteria. This prospective interventional study compared heading and control groups over three sessions, analysing session 2 data. Online cognitive tests and symptom questionnaires were conducted before and after a heading protocol involving 10 headers. A total of 54 football players were divided into a heading group (HG, n=34) and a control group (CG, n=20). CP was assessed using Cognitive Reaction Time (CRT) and Composite Errors (CE) tests, while symptoms were evaluated with the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT), focusing on dizziness and headache. The cognitive battery measured RT, attention, inhibition, and timing anticipation. Data was analysed using mixed-model ANOVAs and generalised linear models on R Studio.

Results/Discussion: No significant differences were found between heading and control groups for composite reaction time and errors. However, the heading group showed a significant increase in overall sub-concussive symptoms(p<.05), dizziness(p<.001), and headache(p<.001). No sex differences were found in cognitive performance (CP), but males showed greater sensitivity to headache changes affecting CP(p<0.05). These findings highlight the need for sex-specific approaches in managing post-heading symptoms.

Conclusion: Heading does not immediately impact RTs or errors on cognitive tests. No sex differences were observed in post-heading CP and SCAT symptom reporting. However, significant increases in SCAT symptoms, particularly dizziness and headache, were noted post-heading. Greater headache severity was significantly associated with more errors in males alone.

Dr Muzhi Zhang: How AI can help our aging population: A study focus on elder gait and their care by using AI socks

Capital University of Physical Education and Sports (China), Sports & Medicine Innovation Center

The world is at a critical intersection where an aging population meets the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), significantly affecting various societal aspects. AI presents new opportunities to tackle the challenges associated with elderly care. This research investigates the use of AI in sports technology, specifically through innovative AI-enabled socks, to provide precise and scientific support for elderly care.

The study focuses on several key areas: employing advanced algorithms to monitor physiological health indicators such as heart rate and blood pressure, and correlating these with gait metrics (including step count, cadence, foot landing patterns, time on the ground, and balance); assessing risks such as falls, fainting, dementia, and choking; and managing chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension. The research aims to enhance the quality of life for seniors by identifying significant correlations between age, blood pressure, heart rate variability, and gait scores, developing a standardized method to assess motion age based on collective data, and creating effective strategies to evaluate and mitigate risks in daily life.

Posters (from 13:00pm)

Miss Anna A. Ascsillán: The Skin–Brain Axis: From UV and Pigmentation to Behaviour Modulation

Anna A. Ascsillán, Lajos V. Kemény

University College London, Division of Infection and Immunity

The skin–brain axis has been suggested to play a role in several pathophysiological conditions, including opioid addiction, Parkinson’s disease and many others. Recent evidence suggests that pathways regulating skin pigmentation may directly and indirectly regulate behaviour. Conversely, central nervous system-driven (CNS) neural and hormonal responses have been demonstrated to regulate pigmentation, e.g., under stress. Additionally, due to the shared neuroectodermal origins of the melanocytes and neurons in the CNS, certain CNS diseases may be linked to pigmentation-related changes due to common regulators, e.g., MC1R variations. Furthermore, the HPA analogue of the skin connects skin pigmentation to the endocrine system, thereby allowing the skin to index possible hormonal abnormalities visibly. In this review, insight is provided into skin pigment production and neuromelanin synthesis in the brain and recent findings are summarised on how signalling pathways in the skin, with a particular focus on pigmentation, are interconnected with the central nervous system. Thus, this review may supply a better understanding of the mechanism of several skin–brain associations in health and disease.

Ms Sarah Louise Bartlett: Acute Exercise Intensity: Its Influence on Memory Enhancement & Mood Improvement

Sarah Louise Keating Bartlett, Alicia Jackson, Suyash Poshakwale, Zimo Li, Cian Xu, Ashlesha Gawai, Terun Desai & Flaminia Ronca

University College London, Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health

Acute exercise induces changes in cognition and mood. The direction and size of these changes depend on memory type, mood aspect and exercise intensity. The current study investigated the effect of four conditions on 67 participants who completed 15 minutes of sitting, low intensity, moderate intensity exercise on a treadmill and an aerobic fitness test. Each participant completed all four conditions within a 3.5-hour lab session. Mood was measured before and after each exercise condition. Memory was assessed using 10-minute documentary clips with follow-up questions immediately after the video, one day later and one week later. Repeated measures ANOVAs and linear mixed models were conducted to test the effect of condition on cognition, and to explore for individual differences in these interactions. Both reaction times and accuracy were recorded. Response time decreased (p < .001) after the high-intensity condition compared to any other condition, without affecting accuracy. Reaction times in the high intensity condition continued to be quicker after 24-hours (p < .01 compared to low; p < .05 for moderate and sitting) and persisted between the high intensity and low intensity exercise conditions after a week (p < .05).  There was no difference in accuracy between conditions, but greater aerobic fitness predicted greater accuracy independently of the condition (p < .001). There was an improvement in participants’ feelings of Drive (energetic, glad) after the moderate (p < .001) and walking conditions (p < .05) only; and an improvement in Serenity after the moderate and high conditions only (p < .01). In conclusion, acute exercise at moderate intensity appears to have the most beneficial effect in improving participants’ feeling of both Drive and Serenity, while high intensity exercise improved participants’ processing speeds without affecting their accuracy. Additionally, aerobic fitness levels were a significant predictor of memory accuracy, indicating that regular physical activity may contribute to better memory.

Mr Paul Bejjani: Flow and Performance in Basketball

Paul Bejjani, Karina Linnell, Guido Orgs

Goldsmiths University of London, Division of Psychology

Recent accounts have characterized flow as an optimal psychophysiological state involving three core experiential dimensions: absorption, effortless control, and intrinsic reward (Norsworthy et al., 2023) and associated with enhanced performance in sports (Harris et al. 2023). In this study, we tested a novel experimental paradigm designed to differentiate flow from non-flow states in basketball shooting tasks with the primary objective of investigating the relationship between each of the three core experiential dimensions of flow and performance.

Results showed that our experimental paradigm was effective in differentiating flow from non-flow states, where basketball players reported significantly more flow experience in dominant hand shooting conditions compared to non-dominant hand shooting conditions. Furthermore, effortless control seemed to drive differences in flow experience between dominant hand and non-dominant hand conditions and increases in effortless control were found to be significantly and positively correlated with enhanced performance in dominant hand compared to non-dominant hand conditions. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in absorption or intrinsic reward ratings between dominant and non-dominant hand conditions and these dimensions of flow were not found to be significantly correlated with enhanced performance in dominant hand compared to non-dominant hand conditions.

These results are at odds with claims that absorption is the most representative feature of flow (Rheinberg & Vollmeyer, 2003, Piefer et al., 2014). While absorption and intrinsic reward may still be necessary for flow experience, our findings suggest that psychological definitions of flow and mechanistic accounts of the relationship between flow and performance should emphasize the role of effortless control.

Prof. Ian Needleman: Association between oral inflammation and cognitive function in law enforcement officers: The Op-Chiron Study

Jacopo Buti, Flaminia Ronca, Mark Hamer, Paul W. Burgess, Julie Gallagher & *Ian Needleman

University College London, Eastman Dental Institute

Background & aim: Consistent evidence supports links between oral health and non-communicable diseases, with emerging evidence relating to cognitive impacts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between oral inflammation and cognitive function in British law enforcement officers.

Methods: Cross-sectional study of 89 British law enforcement officers. Measures of oral inflammation exposure were percentage of deepened gum pockets (Pocket Probing Depth (PPD) >4mm) and with bleeding on probing (BoP). The Cognitive Failure questionnaire (CFQ) was used to assess the association of cognitive function with oral health and inflammation.  Quality of sleep was also measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Multivariate linear regression models included age, ethnicity, PSQI, shift patterns, number of Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT), % BoP and % PPD>4mm. UCL ethics ID:13985/004.

Results: Mean age was 41.5 years (range 23 – 61; 71.9% male, 25.9% BAME). Mean time in service was 14.3 ± 5.7 years. Forty-one (47.7%) participants included night shift work patterns. Overall oral inflammation values were low: mean %PPD>4mm, 1.0 ± 2.4, % BoP 7.2 ± 6.5.  Mean score for CFQ: 26.2 ± 14.3 (range 0 – 73). The linear regression model showed that the % of sites with PPD>4mm was statistically significantly associated with higher Cognitive Failures Scores (β = 1.59; 95%CI [0.23;2.95]; P = 0.023) while the % of bleeding sites (BoP) was associated with lower Cognitive Failures Scores (β = -0.56; 95%CI [-1.06;-0.07]; P = 0.026).

Conclusions: Despite the overall low oral inflammation status of the participants, the extent of oral inflammation measured as deepened gum pockets may be unfavourably associated with cognitive function. Prospective studies with larger sample sizes and broader range of exposure to oral inflammation are required to further explore this relationship and investigate potential mechanisms.

Ms Katie Ferguson: Can lifestyle changes prevent Alzheimer's Disease?

Katie Ferguson, Bettina Platt, Zara Franklin

University of Aberdeen, School of medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, affecting 50 million people worldwide. By 2050, it is estimated that over 150 million people will be affected by dementia. The rise is life expectancy has led to an increase in disorders such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) due to age-related processes contributing to disease development. Along with age and genetics, the prevalence of co-morbidities such as CVD and T2D increase the risk of AD. Lifestyle factors such as physical inactivity and diet further exacerbate these conditions and increase AD risk. Co-morbidities and lifestyle factors are modifiable risk factors and are estimated to attribute to approximately 40% of AD cases. With the current pharmacological treatments proving ineffective in curing AD, the prevention or reduced progression of AD through the modification of lifestyle factors are important to reduce AD burden. In this review, the mechanistic relationship between AD and its co-morbidities are discussed along with the effect of physical activity and diet interventions on cognition and AD pathology. Physical activity and diet interventions have proven to be effective in improving cognition in healthy and cognitively impaired patients and their potential neuroprotective mechanisms are discussed. These interventions are promising strategies to prevent the development of AD. However, potential physical and social limitations may prevent individuals adhering to lifestyle interventions. Therefore, research into diet and exercise mimetics may help individuals to obtain the benefits of physical activity and diet to then transition to those lifestyle interventions.

Miss Dwaynica Greaves: The Acting Self: Investigating the effects of an acting performance on neural self-other processing

Dwaynica A Greaves, Anastasia Kokkinou, Joachim Nicolodi, Antonia F de. C Hamilton

University College London, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience

Background: Actors utilise their phenomenal (bodily and spatial) and narrative (socially constructed) selves to create a phenomenal and narrative self for their characters. This overlap could potentially affect their sense of self as they develop expertise in this skill throughout their careers. We aimed to investigate whether an occupation that requires embodiment can influence one's sense of self. Therefore, we measured self-other neural processing in actors while they performed a monologue.

Participants: 38 UK-based professional actors with 2+ years of industry experience.

Equipment: Shimadzu LIGHTNIRS functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) system with 22 channels across the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) and a Biosignalsplux breath belt to measure breathing rate.

Procedure: Actors performed a monologue, coloured in a mandala colouring book (control), and read aloud from a telephone book (control). Each of these tasks was conducted while seated, lasted 2 minutes, and was repeated four times in the listed order. During each task, the actor's first name (own name), character name, and a stranger's name were called out from a speaker at pseudo-random time intervals.

Findings: Channel 4 (within the mPFC region) exhibited higher brain activity during the monologue condition compared to the control conditions. Additionally, there was higher activation when actors heard their ‘own name’ compared to the ‘stranger name’ during the monologue condition. Channel 4 also showed greater activation when actors heard their ‘own name’ in the monologue condition compared to when they heard their ‘own name’ in the telephone book (control) condition.

Conclusions: The stronger activation in response to actors hearing their ‘own name’ compared to a ‘stranger's name’ during the monologue condition may indicate a more pronounced sense of self while in character, as opposed to the control conditions. This finding may challenge the assumption that actors lose their sense of self while embodying a character during a performance.

Miss Evelyn Holt: Association of self-reported chronotype with mental and physical activity levels across the day

Evelyn Holt, Zaina Alavi, Evelyn Watson, and Flaminia Ronca

University of Exeter, Medical School

An individual’s chronotype is known to influence their cognitive performance throughout the day. However, research on how these two are related has been conflicting. The synchrony effect suggests a person’s chronotype should align with the time of optimal cognitive performance, where a morning chronotype will perform better in the morning. However, most previous studies investigating this effect did not test both chronotypes at the same time of day, which limits the comparability of the results. Furthermore, previous studies have not controlled for changes in mood, physical activity and caffeine intake in free-living contexts, which are all known to interact with cognition. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether cognitive function changes throughout the day for different chronotypes, after accounting for physical activity and mood in a free-living context. Accelerometers were given to 74 participants to measure physical activity over 7 days. The Exogenous-Endogenous Attending (XN-A) cognitive task was completed every other day in the morning (9am) and evening (9pm) along with a mood questionnaire and questions relating to exercise. Initial screening indicated that early chronotypes were significantly more physically active than late chronotypes, and were active earlier in the day. Early chronotypes also had increased drive in the morning compared to late chronotypes. After accounting for these effects, the results revealed that late chronotypes had faster reaction times and were more accurate in the evening compared to the morning. However, early chronotypes generally performed better than late chronotypes and were also more consistent throughout the day.

Miss Alicia Jackson: Association Between Exercise Intensities and Divergent Thinking: A Within Subject Randomised Crossover Study

University College London, Sports and Exercise Medical Sciences

According to Guildford (1), creativity involves both divergent and convergent thinking, with the former entailing idea generation without explicit criteria, and the latter focusing on problem-solving. Firth et al.'s systematic review (2) noted a lack of studies directly comparing exercise intensities and their effects on divergent thinking, indicating a need for within-subject studies. Additionally, Schimago Institutions Rankings (3) suggested gender may influence how exercise affects divergent thinking. The influence of fitness on divergent thinking is also gaining attention, with most research focused on older populations. Our study aims to investigate whether exercise intensity impacts divergent thinking and the potential effects of gender and VO2 max scores. We hypothesize: 1) higher exercise intensity correlates with higher divergent thinking, 2) females may exhibit heightened divergent thinking post-exercise compared to males, and 3) higher VO2 max scores correlate with higher divergent thinking.

Miss Isabel Metcalf: 15 minutes of daily physical activity at school supports the mental wellbeing of children and adolescents living in extreme poverty: a case study in Kenya

Isabel Metcalf, Evelyn Watson, Paul W Burgess, Flaminia Ronca

University of Exeter, Medical School

The power of education to combat poverty has been well established. In line with this, the Kenyan government has taken measures to improve the education provision in deprived settings, although barriers, such as poor mental wellbeing, remain a significant challenge that risks preventing children from fully benefitting from improvements in education infrastructure. Poor mental wellbeing in children and adolescents has been shown to negatively impact academic performance, and is exacerbated in settings of extreme poverty where adverse conditions and experiences result in greater prevalence of mental health disorders. Physical activity has been identified as an effective intervention to support mental wellbeing, however limited research has assessed its efficacy and feasibility in low-income settings. The current study evaluated a school-based physical activity intervention in Kibera, Kenya, one of Africa’s largest informal settlements. Between March and May 2023, 124 school pupils completed 15 minutes of daily physical activity consisting of bodyweight exercises. Mental wellbeing was assessed at the start and end of the intervention using the Visual Mood Scale for Children. There was a significant reduction of 7 % in Negative Mood scores following the intervention (p = .03, r = 0.23), indicating improved mental wellbeing. The intervention demonstrated the potential of low-resource, school-based physical activity programmes to support the mental wellbeing of children and adolescents in extreme poverty. Further research should explore the scalability and long-term impact of such interventions to support mental wellbeing and educational outcomes in impoverished settings.

Dr Efstathia Papada: Raising awareness on the relationship between mental health and diet quality in adults using Food banks – Preliminary findings from the FEED YOUR BRAIN project

Efstathia Papada, Anastasia Kalea, Nathan Davies, Hannah Style, Caroline Monkhouse Flower, Sandra Jacome

University College London, Division of Medicine

Introduction: Food insecurity indicating poor nutritional quality has increased in the UK as reflected by the increase of Food Banks users and higher rates of mental health conditions in this population. Although poor mental health has its roots in a combination of factors including social and financial status, poor diet quality is a key contributor.

Aims and Methods: The aim of the FEED YOUR BRAIN project was to increase awareness of the relationship between diet and mental health in adults using food banks. We engaged with the charity FEAST With Us and food bank users to collect information on the food parcels and services delivered, barriers around food provision, available support and needs.  Feedback was collected from food bank users, staff members and student volunteers in order to design and optimise helpful activities on this theme.

Results: Through preliminary discussions we identified a variety of barriers relevant to food provision. Gratitude, shame, privacy and hesitation to join group activities were themes that affected the design of our activities. An information pamphlet was distributed to three London Food Banks for service users to access information on their own time on how food is linked to mental health, including recipes and practical tips to improve diet quality. Tasting sessions were delivered in two London Food banks and feedback was collected from service users and staff members, who were thankful for the resources provided, found the activities very useful and recommended similar initiatives in the future.

Conclusions: Public engagement initiatives in the community with a focus on vulnerable populations can have a positive impact on increasing the knowledge around mental health and diet quality. Observations from this pilot project informed our future activities, such as the creation of an online database of recipes beneficial for mental health with ingredients found in food parcels.

Mr Suyash Poshakwale: The Effect of Different Exercise Intensities on Convergent Thinking in Young Adults:  A Randomised-Crossover Study

Suyash Poshakwale, Sarah Bartlett, Alicia Jackson, Li Zhimo, Flaminia Ronca

University College London, Sports and Exercise Medical Sciences

Convergent thinking (CT) is a critical problem-solving process requiring strong top-down control. While acute physical activity (PA) can enhance cognitive functions, its impact on CT at different exercise intensities remains unclear. This study investigates the effects of three exercise intensities (walking, jogging, VO2 max) versus a control (sitting) on CT. A Within-Subject Randomised Crossover design was used with 67 young adults (22.7 ± 4.0 years). Participants completed four conditions (sitting, walking, jogging and VO2 max) and CT was assessed using the Remote Associates Task (RAT). Mood changes (Gorilla Questionnaires) and VO2 max were measured for their mediating effects. Repeated measures ANOVAs showed a significant positive effect of the VO2 max condition on RAT accuracy (β = 0.77, SE = 0.31, t(186.73) = 2.49, p = .014*), and a linear mixed model showed a significant three-way interaction between Drive Change, VO2 max, and the walking condition (β = -0.09, 95% CI [0.17, 0.00], p = 0.041). These findings suggest that while exercise may not uniformly enhance CT, Mood and Fitness Level play significant roles. This study contributes to understanding the nuanced relationship between exercise and CT. Future research should explore diverse exercise modalities and long-term effects, including neuroimaging studies, to better understand these interactions.

Mr Sat Shureshkumar: Cross-sectional associations of midlife Physical Activity and Cognition in the 1970 British Cohort Study: The role of competition and coordination

Sat Shureshkumar, Joanna Blodgett, Professor Mark Hamer, John Mitchell

University College London, Sports and Exercise Medicine

Introduction: Physical activity (PA) is associated with higher cognition in both the short and long term. Despite international PA recommendations on dose and intensity for healthy cognition, there is a lack of evidence specifying the types of PA that are most beneficial for cognition. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate whether different modalities of PA, specifically (i) competitive, and (ii) coordination elements are differentially related to midlife cognition. Methods: The 1970 British Cohort Study is an age homogenous prospective cohort study of adults. At age 46 years, monthly PA volume was collected through self-report. Concurrent tests of executive function (EF) and memory tasks were conducted. The average of participant's standardised scores produced an overall cognition score. Analyses were stratified by sex. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the association between competitive and coordination PA, separately and cognition z-scores. We fitted mutually adjusted linear regression models with further adjustments for health and lifestyle covariates including moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Results: Sample comprised of 4186 participants (2076; 49.6% female). Competitive PA for both male and females proved strongly associated with higher cognitive scores up to 15 monthly hours of engagement in males and 12 hours for females. After adjusting for covariates, the positive association remained only for females. PA with the higher coordination demands proved most strongly associated with cognition in both sexes; being stronger in females. Conclusion: This study highlights a favourable link introducing elements of competitive and/or coordination aspects into an individual’s monthly PA routine on cognition.

Mr Cian Xu: The role of music in exercise workouts from prefrontal perspective - a pilot study

Cian Xu, Paul W. Burgess, Ronca Flaminia

University College London, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience

It has been a delicate and challenging question to measure cognitive neurological changes in the human brain during exercise. Because of the effects of systemic physiological artefacts such as increased heart rate and enhanced superficial blood flow during exercise, variations in cortical oxygenation levels collected during physical activity are generally considered to contribute relatively little to neurocognitive events. The current study attempted to pilot the observation of oxygenation changes in the prefrontal cortex during exercise using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The aim was to determine whether cognitive differences could be detected in the prefrontal cortex when exercisers alter their exercise behaviour (with and without listening to music) at the same intensity and duration of the exercise condition. Through preliminary results from a single-subject case study with multiple repetitions of measurements, we consider that the current pilot paradigm may be an effective method of observing cognitive neural activity during exercise in situations where systematic artefacts may not be completely ruled out. In our future studies, comprehensive observations of behavioural and physiological noise (e.g. EMG, heart rate, respiratory rate, motor movements of the bodies) need to be established. Thus, various oscillations of oxygenation changes can be separated to better classify artifacts, behavioural or cognitive neural activity.

Miss Ziyue Zhu: EEG based Brain-Computer Interfaces for Speech Impairments Restoration

Ziyue Zhu, Tom Carlson, Youngjun Cho

University College London, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science

Locked-in syndrome caused by neural disorders such as paralysis and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) etc. can result in speech impairments. For patients with intact cognitive abilities but impaired articulation abilities due to loss of muscle control, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) emerge as a promising tool to assist users in controlling external devices to restore communication. Electroencephalography (EEG), as a powerful non-invasive neural imaging technique showing high temporal resolution, is popular for speech decoding BCIs.

A case study for Speech Imagery (SI) was completed on 1 healthy 24-year-old male (UCL REC approval: 6860.017). With asymmetrical EEG sensors layout covering 11 channels in the Broca and Wernicke areas in the left hemisphere that support the speech functions and 5 channels over the right primary motor cortex, the participant was required to imagine speaking one word: ‘up’ / ‘down’ / ‘right’ / ‘left’ for each trial.

The preliminary results showed that during the covert speech, the left hemisphere presented stronger EEG power than the right hemisphere, especially in the delta, theta, and alpha bands. The mean accuracy for binary word classification for ‘left & up’ is 59.75% (SD=3.13%) with SVM, exceeding the chance level (50%), showing a promising future for mind reading and safe BCIs for communication.

By including data from more participants and optimizing decoding algorithms, we aim to develop advanced communication and movement execution BCIs controlled by inner speech, which utilizes the most cognitive power of ALS patients to compensate for their motor function and therefore benefits their daily lives.

Neurophysiology & Cognition Session

Dr Gabriella Rossetti: Platelet reactivity, neurovascular function, and cognitive performance in healthy older adults

Gabriella Rossetti, Eva Feredoes, Eleanor Benford, Joanne Dunster, Jonathan Gibbins, Anastasia Christakou

Manchester Metropolitan University, Sport and Exercise Sciences

Platelets are essential for haemostasis, but excessive reactivity can cause complications like athero-thrombosis. At the population level, platelet function is associated with cardiovascular and neurocognitive decline in ageing. Our previous research found a direct link between platelet reactivity and neurovascular function in the visual cortex of older adults during visual stimulation. This study explores how the haemostatic-neurovascular relationship affects memory-related brain regions and cognitive performance, further investigating platelet reactivity's impact on brain health.

Fifty-one healthy adults aged 50-80 participated. We used a plate-based aggregation assay to quantify platelet reactivity, and deconvolution of the haemodynamic response (HRF) to measure neurovascular function in memory-related regions of interest (precuneus [PCUN] and posterior cingulate cortex [PCC]). We assessed verbal and visual short-term memory performance using, respectively, the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Task (RAVLT) in all participants and the Oxford Memory Test (OMT) in a subsample of 26 participants.

There was no association between platelet reactivity and verbal memory performance. Longer FWHM in PCUN was associated with a better RAVLT total score (R=0.49, P=0.046). However, there was no association between platelet reactivity and HRF parameters in these memory regions.

By contrast, higher platelet reactivity correlated with poorer visual memory performance. Specifically, increased absolute error on the OMT was associated with higher overall platelet reactivity (R=0.55, P=0.009) and specific platelet responses including sensitivity to adenosine 5’-diphosphate (R=0.75, P<0.001). Further, HRF parameters in our memory-related regions of interest correlated with task performance; longer FWHM in the PCC (R=-0.54, P=0.025) and PCUN (R=-0.60, P=0.019) related to fewer errors on the OMT.  Additionally, visual cortex HRF parameters correlated with visual memory performance, which, combined with our previous findings, suggests a global neurovascular effect.

In conclusion, elevated platelet reactivity is linked to altered neurovascular function and poorer visual short-term memory performance in healthy older adults.

Mr Hao Hu: The role of bile acids brain in development

Hao Hu, Tianhao Gao, Huiliang Li

University College London, Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research

Common knowledge assumes that primary bile acids (BAs), the digestive detergents, are produced exclusively in the liver. BAs, including cholic acid (CA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), are synthesized as the end products of cholesterol metabolism via two pathways - the classic (initiated by enzyme CYP7A1) and alternative (initiated by CYP27A1) pathways. Once synthesized, BAs are secreted into bile, stored in the gallbladder, and released into the intestine upon food consumption to facilitate fat absorption. Most BAs (˃90%) are reabsorbed in the ileum and returned to liver by the portal circulation. Small amounts of BAs may enter the systemic circulation, thus able to reach other organs.

Mutation of Cyp27a1 gene causes a genetic condition called cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX), which features deficiency in CDCA production and fatty deposits (xanthomas) in tendons and brain where the xanthomas cause progressive damage to brain function. CTX can manifest as a variety of neurological symptoms, and CDCA is the effective treatment for CTX, able to improve neurological symptoms for most CTX patients, though the underlying mechanism remains unexplored.

Our observations of Cyp27a1 gene knockout mice (27KO) indicate that loss of CYP27A1 leads to abnormalities in the development of parvalbumin (PV) interneurons and oligodendrocytes (OLs), accompanied by autistic-like behaviours. Moreover, CDCA administration from the embryonic stage can rescue those brain abnormalities, hinting at a new BA-mediated mechanism regulating brain development. When Cyp27a1 gene is deleted specifically in microglia, similar defects can be observed in the brain, implying that microglia might be able to secrete BAs.

Our study for the first time revealed a BA-mediate new regulatory mechanism for brain development.

Ms Jazmin Morrone: The feasibility and test-retest reliability of wireless dry-electrode EEG during a dynamic psychomotor virtual reality task

Jazmin Morrone, Rik Mellor, Sidney Grosprêtre, Charles R Pedlar, Giuseppe Cimadoro

St Mary’s University, Faculty of Sport, Technology and Health Sciences

Virtual reality (VR) offers immersive environments for studying psychomotor performance, but the reliability of dry-electrode electroencephalography (EEG) in assessing brain activity during dynamic VR exergames (VRex) tasks remains unclear. The present study investigated the feasibility and reliability of dry-electrode EEG frequency band, with primary focus on alpha band activity. Ten amateur combat sports male participants (37 ± 11 years) volunteered for this study. Feasibility of dry-electrode EEG recording during motion and test-retest (24h) reliability were investigated. EEG measurements were obtained pre, post, and throughout a standardised boxing focus ball VRex session, comprising three three-minute rounds interspersed with one-minute rest intervals. EEG data were analyzed globally and at each electrode site, calculating average power spectral density values. ICCs data indicated poor to excellent (0.208-0.858) reliability across all measurements within the 4-30Hz frequency range. Poor to good reliability (0.393-0.636) was found across the task-active VRex intervals. Electrode sites ranged in reliability from poor (electrode P3; 0.262) to excellent (electrode P4; 0.728), with higher reliability found in the alpha band across electrode sites compared to average spectral band values. The present study demonstrates the feasibility, although variable reliability, in neuronal detection during a dynamic VR task, using novel dry-electrode EEG technology.

Exercise Neuroscience Session

Dr Benjamin Tari: Is a long-term postexercise cognitive benefit dependent on improved cardiovascular fitness? An international investigation of passive exercise.

Benjamin Tari, Gabriella Rosetti, Atticus Hainsworth, Rowena Naidoo, Rashi Negi, David Hamilton, Terrence Quinn, Matthew Heath, Theodore Cosco, Jennifer L. Etnier, Maria Fiatarone Singh, Matthew Lennon, Philip Ward, Perminder Singh Sachdev, Samuele M. Marcora, Soichi Ando, Timothy Lawrence, John Gallacher, Vanessa Raymont

University of Oxford, Psychiatry

Dementia is a leading cause of death worldwide. Regular exercise has emerged as a means to support brain health in individuals with dementia and demonstrates the potential to prevent its onset.  As well, exercise is effective at slowing cognitive decline, improving cognition, brain health and function, and significantly reduces population-attributable risk for all-cause mortality. Some individuals, however, may not be able to complete active exercise due to cognitive and/or physical limitations (e.g., spinal cord injury, stroke). A potential alternative to an “active” exercise intervention is passive exercise. Passive exercise involves involuntary movement of the limbs via an external mechanical force.  Although the benefits of traditional exercise manipulations are numerous and well understood, the extent to which passive exercise benefits cognitive function is currently unknown. Our goal is to therefore understand whether passive exercise supports brain health in a manner similar to traditional exercise. Accordingly, 150 healthy but sedentary older adults (age≥60 years) will be recruited from sites in Canada, Italy, Japan, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.  Participants will then be randomly separated equally into rest, passive exercise, or moderate-intensity active exercise groups. Participants will undergo baseline cognitive (i.e., executive function battery) and structural and functional (i.e., MRI) brain assessments. They will then be asked to perform their assigned protocol at home 3 times a week for 6 months prior to repeating their baseline assessments after 6 and 12 months. We hypothesise that passive and active exercise will improve executive function in older people, but will induce modality-specific alterations to functional connectivity and structural integrity. As well, changes associated with passive exercise should persist for a timeframe equivalent to, or less than, that of active exercise. These results will support additional longitudinal studies involving other, chronically ill populations.

Dr Mikaela Bloomberg: Associations of accelerometer-measured physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep with next-day cognitive performance in older adults

Mikaela Bloomberg, Laura Brocklebank, Aiden Doherty, Mark Hamer, Professor Andrew Steptoe

University College London, Behavioural Science and Health

Background: Previous studies suggest short-term cognitive benefits of physical activity occurring minutes to hours after a bout of exercise. Whether these benefits persist the following day and the role of sleep is unclear. We examined associations of accelerometer-assessed physical activity and sleep patterns with next-day cognitive performance in a micro-longitudinal study of older adults.

Methods: Cognitively-healthy British adults aged 50-83 years (N=76) wore accelerometers for eight days, and took daily cognitive tests. We used linear mixed models to examine associations of physical activity (time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA], light physical activity [LPA], and sedentary behaviour [SB]) and sleep characteristics (overnight sleep duration, time spent in rapid eye movement [REM] sleep and slow wave sleep [SWS]) with next-day cognitive performance, after accounting for habitual physical activity and sleep habits and other temporal and contextual factors.

Results: An additional 30 minutes of MVPA on the previous day was associated with episodic memory scores 0.15 standard deviations (SD; 95% confidence interval=0.01-0.29; p=0.03) higher and working memory scores 0.16 SD (0.03-0.28; p=0.01) higher. Each 30-minute increase in SB was associated with working memory scores -0.05 SD (-0.09-0.00) lower (p=0.03). Independent of MVPA on the previous day, sleep duration ≥6 hours on the previous night was associated with episodic memory scores 0.60 SD (0.16-1.03) higher (p=0.008) and psychomotor speed 0.34 SD (0.04-0.65) faster (p=0.03) than sleep duration <6 hours. Each 30-minute increase in REM sleep on the previous night was associated with 0.13 SD (0.00-0.25) higher attention scores (p=0.04); a 30-minute increase in SWS was associated with 0.17 SD (0.05-0.29) higher episodic memory scores (p=0.008).

Conclusions: Memory benefits of MVPA may persist for 24 hours; longer sleep duration, particularly more time spent in SWS, could independently contribute to these benefits.

Dr Romain S Perera: Improved cognitive function and reduced systemic inflammation mediate the anti-depressive effects of physical activity in older adults

University College London, Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biosciences

Introduction: The anti-depressive effect of physical activity is well-documented, but its mechanism of action is not explored. We explored the effects of physical activity on depression in older adults while considering direct and indirect effects via cognitive function and systemic inflammation.

Methods: This study included 2321 men and women aged 60-79 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the United States from 2011-2014. The outcome was depressive symptoms and assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire. The predictor was physical activity assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, and a metabolic equivalent score ≥600 was defined as physically active.  Cognitive function was assessed in four domains (word learning and recall - Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease, Animal Fluency test and Digit Symbol Substitution test). The aggregate mean of four domain Z-scores was calculated. The systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) was calculated using monocyte count and the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio. Cognitive function and SIRI were defined as the mediators, while age, sex, race and education were covariables. The ordinary least squares regression model was used to produce direct and indirect effect estimates with 95% percentile bootstrap confidence intervals (CI).

Results: The mean age was 67.42±5.39 years; 51.3% were women, and 42.7% were non-Hispanic Whites. The mean depressive symptoms score was 3.26±4.44, and 50.2% were physically active. Compared to physically inactive older adults, physically active older adults had lower depressive symptoms (Beta=-1.18; 95% CI -1.54 to -0.27). Physical activity exerted its effects on depressive symptoms via its direct effects (Beta=-1.08; 95% CI -1.43 to -0.24) and indirectly via the improved cognitive function (Beta=-0.07; 95% CI -0.13 to -0.03) and reduced systemic inflammation (Beta=-0.03; 95% CI -0.08 to -0.01).

Conclusion: In older adults, physical activity exerts its anti-depressive effects directly and indirectly via improved cognitive function and reduced systemic inflammation.

Mr José Pedro Correia: The effect of sport specialisation on brain-muscle coupling during maximum-speed knee movement

José Pedro Correia, Erik Witvrouw, João R. Vaz, Sandro Freitas

University of Lisbon, Neuromuscular Function Laboratory, Faculty of Human Kinetics

Background: Corticomuscular coherence is thought to reflect the functional coupling between brain and muscle activity. However, the effect of sport expertise on this coupling has not been sufficiently explored, especially for lower limb maximal efforts.

Methods: Nineteen non-athletic healthy individuals (25.9±6.4 years old) and 69 footballers (age: 24.7±3.98 years old) were included. Participants completed a maximum-speed bilateral knee flexion-extension task between 45° and 90° over eight 10-s blocks interspersed by 5-s rest periods. Movement rate was determined using accelerometers placed at the ankles. Brain activity was recorded using 24-channel electroencephalography (EEG) and muscle activity of the right vastus lateralis and medialis, rectus femoris, biceps femoris, and semitendinosus were recorded using electromyography (EMG) to calculate CMC between the EEG C3 signal and each muscle’s EMG signal. An individual significant CMC threshold was created and the area above the threshold was calculated for each block.

Results: Both groups showed similar task performance (p=0.86), with a significant decrease in leg movement rate (-20.7%) until after half of task duration followed by a plateau until the end of the task. However, footballers showed a significantly greater area of significant CMC for all tested C3-muscle pairs throughout the entire task (differences: 12-28%; p <0.001 to 0.001, power >0.9).

Conclusion: Footballers show a similar motor output but greater CMC during a maximum-speed knee movement reversal task. This suggests that football training leads to increased synchronisation between brain and muscle activity even with similar task performance. As generally reported for the effect of submaximal efforts, our findings show that CMC is also sensitive to long-term corticomotor specialisation in lower limb maximal efforts.