Greater Semantic Memory Activation After Exercise Training Cessation in Older Endurance-Trained Athletes

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Exercise Physiology
• Cognitive Aging

Background:

• Long-term endurance training is associated with preserved cognitive function in aging.
• The impact of exercise cessation on neural networks supporting memory retrieval in older adults remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of a 10-day exercise-training cessation on semantic memory functional activation in older distance runners.
• To determine if short-term detraining alters brain activity patterns related to memory recall.

Main Methods:

• Ten master runners (mean age 62.6 years) with extensive endurance training history (mean 29.0 years) participated.
• Participants underwent a 10-day cessation of their regular training program.
• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure semantic memory activation during a famous name recognition task before and after the training cessation.

Main Results:

• A 10-day training cessation led to increased semantic memory activation in key brain regions: left inferior frontal gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, and inferior semilunar lobule.
• No significant changes in performance on the famous name recognition task were observed.
• These findings indicate altered neural network engagement for semantic memory retrieval following short-term detraining.

Conclusions:

• Even a brief period of exercise cessation significantly impacts the functional activation patterns of semantic memory networks in older, trained individuals.
• Increased activation in specific brain regions post-cessation may suggest a compensatory mechanism or reduced neural efficiency during memory retrieval.
• These results highlight the sensitivity of cognitive neural networks to exercise status in master athletes.