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Fatiguing exercise attenuates pain-induced corticomotor excitability
Marie K Hoeger Bement1, Andy Weyer, Sarah Hartley
1Department of Physical Therapy, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881, United States. mariehoeger.bement@marquette.edu
Neuroscience Letters
|April 23, 2009
Summary
Exercise training reduces the brain
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Exercise Physiology
- Pain Research
Background:
- Corticomotor excitability influences motor control and pain perception.
- Exercise can modulate neural excitability and pain processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of exercise on net corticomotor excitability during a painful stimulus.
- To determine if exercise alters the brain's response to pain.
Main Methods:
- Two studies were conducted involving transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to measure motor evoked potentials (MEPs).
- Study one assessed MEPs and pain perception before and after fatiguing exercise or rest.
- Study two examined MEPs following fatiguing exercise without pain.
Main Results:
- Fatiguing exercise reduced MEP amplitude in the absence of pain.
- Pain increased MEP amplitude, indicating heightened corticomotor excitability.
- This pain-induced excitability increase was attenuated after fatiguing exercise, correlating with reduced pain perception.
Conclusions:
- Submaximal fatiguing exercise alters corticomotor excitability and modulates the neural response to pain.
- Exercise may be a viable strategy for managing pain by influencing central nervous system excitability.
