Dordevic Milos, Taubert Marco, Müller Patrick, Riemer Martin, Kaufmann Jörn, Hökelmann Anita, Müller Notger G
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany.
Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), 39106 Magdeburg, Germany.
Brain Sci. 2020 Apr 3;10(4):210. doi: 10.3390/brainsci10040210.
Balancing is a complex task requiring the integration of visual, somatosensory and vestibular inputs. The vestibular system is linked to the hippocampus, a brain structure crucial for spatial orientation. Here we tested the immediate and sustained effects of a one-month-long slackline training program on balancing and orientation abilities as well as on brain volumes in young adults without any prior experience in that skill. On the corrected level, we could not find any interaction effects for brain volumes, but the effect sizes were small to medium. A subsequent within-training-group analysis revealed volumetric increments within the somatosensory cortex and decrements within posterior insula, cerebellum and putamen remained stable over time. No significant interaction effects were observed on the clinical balance and the spatial orientation task two months after the training period (follow-up). We interpret these findings as a shift away from processes crucial for automatized motor output towards processes related to voluntarily controlled movements. The decrease in insular volume in the training group we propose to result from multisensory interaction of the vestibular with the visual and somatosensory systems. The discrepancy between sustained effects in the brain of the training group on the one hand and transient benefits in function on the other may indicate that for the latter to be retained a longer-term practice is required.
平衡是一项复杂的任务，需要整合视觉、体感和前庭输入。前庭系统与海马体相连，海马体是对空间定向至关重要的脑结构。在此，我们测试了为期一个月的走扁带训练计划对年轻人平衡和定向能力以及脑容量的即时和持续影响，这些年轻人此前没有该技能的任何经验。在校正水平上，我们未发现脑容量有任何交互作用效应，但效应大小为小到中等。随后的组内训练分析显示，体感皮层内的体积增加，而后脑岛、小脑和壳核内的体积减少随时间保持稳定。在训练期（随访）两个月后，在临床平衡和空间定向任务上未观察到显著的交互作用效应。我们将这些发现解释为从对自动运动输出至关重要的过程向与自主控制运动相关的过程的转变。我们认为训练组脑岛内体积的减少是前庭与视觉和体感系统多感官相互作用的结果。一方面训练组大脑中的持续效应与另一方面功能上的短暂益处之间的差异可能表明，要保留后者需要长期练习。
