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Assessing Pupil-linked Changes in Locus Coeruleus-mediated Arousal Elicited by Trigeminal Stimulation
Published on: November 26, 2019
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Pupil dynamics during very light exercise predict benefits to prefrontal cognition
Ryuta Kuwamizu1, Yudai Yamazaki2, Naoki Aoike2
1Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan; Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
Neuroimage
|June 23, 2023
Summary
Very light physical exercise, like yoga, enhances executive function by increasing prefrontal cortex activity. This study shows pupil dilation during exercise mediates cognitive improvements, suggesting pupillometry can track exercise benefits.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Physical exercise, even light forms like yoga, benefits executive functions by potentially enhancing prefrontal cortex activity.
- The precise mechanisms linking light exercise to prefrontal potentiation remain unclear.
- Pupillometry reveals pupil size changes reflect arousal and attention dynamics, offering a window into neural activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if pupil-linked brain dynamics during very-light-intensity exercise mediate executive function enhancements in young adults.
- To explore the role of locus coeruleus-cortical pathways in exercise-induced cognitive benefits.
- To assess the utility of pupillometry in understanding exercise's impact on cognition.
Main Methods:
- Participants engaged in 10 minutes of very-light-intensity exercise (30% V˙o2peak) or a resting-control condition.
- Executive function was measured using a Stroop task administered before and after the intervention.
- Prefrontal cortex activation was assessed via multichannel functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and pupil diameter was continuously monitored.
Main Results:
- Very-light-intensity exercise induced significant pupil dilation, reduced Stroop interference, and increased left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activation compared to rest.
- The degree of pupil dilation correlated with the extent of Stroop performance improvement.
- Causal mediation analysis confirmed that exercise-induced pupil dilation was a key factor in enhancing Stroop task performance.
Conclusions:
- Pupil-linked mechanisms, potentially involving locus coeruleus activation, mediate the positive effects of very light exercise on prefrontal cortex activity and executive function.
- These findings highlight a novel pathway through which exercise boosts cognitive performance.
- Pupillometry emerges as a valuable, non-invasive tool for assessing the cognitive benefits of physical activity.
