Long-term physical exercise and somatosensory event-related potentials

Exp Brain Res. 2005 Jan;160(4):528-32. doi: 10.1007/s00221-004-2125-5. Epub 2004 Dec 7.

Abstract

We have compared the occurrence patterns of somatosensory event-related potentials (ERPs) in athletes (soccer players) and non-athletes. ERPs were elicited by two oddball tasks following separate somatosensory stimulation at the median nerve (upper-limb task) and at the tibial nerve (lower-limb task). In the athlete group the N140 amplitudes were larger during upper- and lower-limb tasks and the P300 amplitude and latency were larger and shorter, respectively, during the lower-limb task compared with non-athletes. On the other hand, no significant differences in the P300 amplitude and latency during the upper-limb task were observed between the athlete and non-athlete groups. These results indicate that plastic changes in somatosensory processing might be induced by performing physical exercises that require attention and skilled movements.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Afferent Pathways / physiology*
  • Cognition / physiology
  • Electric Stimulation
  • Electroencephalography
  • Event-Related Potentials, P300 / physiology
  • Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Median Nerve / physiology
  • Motor Cortex / physiology
  • Motor Skills / physiology
  • Movement / physiology*
  • Neural Conduction / physiology
  • Neuronal Plasticity / physiology*
  • Physical Fitness / physiology*
  • Reaction Time / physiology
  • Somatosensory Cortex / physiology*
  • Tibial Nerve / physiology
  • Time Factors