Groove Rhythm Enhances Exercise Impact on Prefrontal Cortex Function in Groove Enjoyers

Takemune Fukuie; Kazuya Suwabe; Satoshi Kawase; Takeshi Shimizu; Genta Ochi; Ryuta Kuwamizu; Yosuke Sakairi; Hideaki Soya

doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.08.039

Groove Rhythm Enhances Exercise Impact on Prefrontal Cortex Function in Groove Enjoyers

Neuroscience. 2023 Nov 1:531:117-129. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.08.039. Epub 2023 Sep 9.

Authors

Takemune Fukuie¹, Kazuya Suwabe², Satoshi Kawase³, Takeshi Shimizu⁴, Genta Ochi⁵, Ryuta Kuwamizu⁶, Yosuke Sakairi⁷, Hideaki Soya⁸

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan; School of Nursing and Social Services, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Hokkaido 061-0293, Japan.
² Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan; Sport Neuroscience Division, Advanced Research Initiative for Human High Performance (ARIHHP), Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan; Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, Ryutsu Keizai University, Ibaraki 301-8555, Japan.
³ Faculty of Psychology, Kobe Gakuin University, Hyogo 651-2180, Japan.
⁴ School of Information and Communication, Meiji University, Tokyo 101-8301, Japan.
⁵ Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan; Sport Neuroscience Division, Advanced Research Initiative for Human High Performance (ARIHHP), Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan; Department of Health and Sports, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan.
⁶ Laboratory 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.
⁷ Sport Neuroscience Division, Advanced Research Initiative for Human High Performance (ARIHHP), Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan.
⁸ Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan; Sport Neuroscience Division, Advanced Research Initiative for Human High Performance (ARIHHP), Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan. Electronic address: soya.hideaki.gt@u.tsukuba.ac.jp.

PMID: 37678588
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.08.039

Abstract

A positive affective response modulates the effects of aerobic exercise on prefrontal executive function (EF). Groove rhythm (GR), eliciting the feeling of wanting to move to music, is useful for inducing positive affective response during exercise. Three minutes of listening to GR activated the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (l-DLPFC) and enhanced EF in participants who had higher psychological responses to GR. This finding prompted us to test the hypothesis that the combination of GR and exercise (GREX) induces positive psychological responses that enhance PFC function through entrainment of body movements and musical beats. 41 participants were administered two experimental conditions: three min of very light-intensity (30% V̇ O_2peak) exercise combined with GR and combined with a white-noise metronome (WMEX). Before and after exercise, participants performed a Stroop task and were monitored for l-DLPFC activity with functional near-infrared spectroscopy. GREX enhanced EF and l-DLPFC activity in participants who experienced greater subjective feelings of audiomotor entrainment and increased excitement with GREX. These psychological responses were predictive of the impact of GREX on l-DLPFC activity and EF. These findings, together with previous results, support the hypothesis that GR allows us to boost the cognitive benefits of exercise via l-DLPFC activity only in those who enjoy groove, and suggest that subjective audiomotor entrainment is a key mechanism of this boosting effect.

Keywords: audiomotor entrainment; color-word Stroop task; executive function; left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; near-infrared spectroscopy; psychological response.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cognition
Executive Function / physiology
Exercise / physiology
Humans
Prefrontal Cortex* / physiology
Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared* / methods
Stroop Test