Zhao Xudong, Wang Hualin, Li Ke, Chen Shanguang, Hou Lijuan
Exercise Physiology and Neurobiology Lab, College of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing Normal University, No. 19, Xinjiekou Street, Beijing, 100875 China.
National Key Laboratory of Human Factors Engineering at China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094 China.
Cogn Neurodyn. 2025 Dec;19(1):3. doi: 10.1007/s11571-024-10182-1. Epub 2024 Dec 31.
Fatigue, a complex and multifaceted symptom, profoundly influences quality of life, particularly among individuals suffering from chronic medical conditions or neurological disorders. This symptom not only exacerbates existing conditions but also hinders daily functioning, thereby perpetuating a vicious cycle of worsening symptoms and reduced physical activity. Given the pivotal role of the motor cortex (M1) in coordinating and executing voluntary movements, understanding how the cortex regulates fatigue is crucial. Despite its importance, the neural mechanisms underlying fatigue remain inadequately explored. In this study, we employed electrophysiological recordings in the M1 region of mice to investigate how excitation-inhibition dynamics and neural oscillations are regulated during exercise-induced fatigue. We observed that fatigue led to decreased voluntary physical activity and cognitive performance, manifesting as reduced running wheel distance, mean speed, exercise intensity, and exploratory behaviour. At the neural level, we detected increased firing frequencies for M1 neurons, including both pyramidal neurons and interneurons, along with heightened beta-band oscillatory activity and stronger coupling between beta-band oscillations and interneurons. These findings enhance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying fatigue, offering insights into behavioural, excitability, and oscillatory changes. The results of this study could pave the way for the development of novel intervention strategies to combat fatigue.
疲劳是一种复杂多面的症状,对生活质量有深远影响,尤其是在患有慢性疾病或神经障碍的个体中。这种症状不仅会加重现有病情,还会妨碍日常功能,从而使症状恶化和身体活动减少的恶性循环持续下去。鉴于运动皮层(M1)在协调和执行自主运动中起关键作用,了解皮层如何调节疲劳至关重要。尽管其很重要,但疲劳背后的神经机制仍未得到充分探索。在本研究中,我们在小鼠的M1区域进行电生理记录,以研究运动诱导疲劳期间兴奋-抑制动力学和神经振荡是如何被调节的。我们观察到疲劳导致自主身体活动和认知表现下降,表现为跑步轮距离、平均速度、运动强度和探索行为减少。在神经层面,我们检测到M1神经元(包括锥体神经元和中间神经元)的放电频率增加,同时β波段振荡活动增强,以及β波段振荡与中间神经元之间的耦合更强。这些发现增进了我们对疲劳背后机制的理解,为行为、兴奋性和振荡变化提供了见解。本研究结果可为开发对抗疲劳的新型干预策略铺平道路。