Gender differences in changes of motor cortex excitability during elevated blood lactate levels

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Exercise Physiology
• Sports Science

Background:

• Cortical excitability differences between genders are documented.
• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a tool to assess cortical excitability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the impact of exercise-induced high blood lactate on primary motor cortex excitability in male and female athletes.
• To investigate potential gender-specific responses to elevated lactate levels.

Main Methods:

• Utilized transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to evaluate motor cortex excitability.
• Measured blood lactate and glucose levels before, during, and after maximal exhausting exercise.
• Included 21 young male and 20 female track athletes.

Main Results:

• Both male and female athletes showed increased motor cortex excitability with elevated blood lactate.
• The enhancement in cortical excitability was significantly greater in female athletes (37.4%) compared to male athletes (42.0%).

Conclusions:

• High blood lactate levels enhance primary motor cortex excitability in both genders.
• Female athletes exhibit a heightened sensitivity of their cerebral cortex to blood lactate compared to male athletes.