Neural Plasticity (Jan 2020)

Multishell Diffusion MRI Reflects Improved Physical Fitness Induced by Dance Intervention

  • Alzbeta Sejnoha Minsterova,
  • Patricia Klobusiakova,
  • Sylvie Kropacova,
  • Lubomira Novakova,
  • Lubos Brabenec,
  • Zuzana Balazova,
  • Roman Grmela,
  • Alena Skotakova,
  • Lenka Svobodova,
  • Irena Rektorova

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8836925
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2020

Abstract

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Using multishell diffusion MRI and both tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and probabilistic tracking of specific tracts of interest, we evaluated the neural underpinnings of the impact of a six-month dance intervention (DI) on physical fitness and cognitive outcomes in nondemented seniors. The final cohort had 76 nondemented seniors, randomized into DI and control (life as usual) groups. Significant effects were observed between the DI and control groups in physical fitness measures and in attention. We detected associations between improved physical fitness and changes in diffusion tensor imagining (DTI) measures in the whole white matter (WM) skeleton and in the corticospinal tract and the superior longitudinal fascicle despite the fact that no significant differences in changes to the WM microstructure were found between the two groups.