Results concerning the association of chronic physical activity and motor performance are mixed and seem to be influenced by the study design , kind of exercise , motor task , and exercise intensity .
Regarding motor learning , a high physical activity or cardiovascular fitness level seems to boost the initial phase of motor learning ; results differ with respect to motor retention .
Overall , ( motor-coordinative ) intervention studies seem to be more promising than cross-sectional studies
Upper extremity motor performance declines with increasing age .
However , older adults need to maintain , learn new and relearn known motor tasks .
Research with young adults indicated that regular and acute physical activity might facilitate motor performance and motor learning processes .
Therefore , this review aim ed to examine the association between chronic physical activity and acute bouts of exercise on motor performance and motor learning in upper extremity motor tasks in older adults .
Evolution of Neuroplasticity in Response to Physical Activity in Old Age: The Case for Dancing
From animal research , it is known that combining physical activity with sensory enrichment has stronger and longer-lasting effects on the brain than either treatment alone . For humans dancing has been suggested to be analogous to such combined training . Here we assessed whether a newly design ed dance training program that stresses the constant learning of new movement patterns is superior in terms of neuroplasticity to conventional fitness activities with repetitive exercises and whether extending the training duration has additional benefits . Twenty-two healthy seniors ( 63–80 years ) who had been r and omly assigned to either a dance or a sport group completed the entire 18-month study .  MRI , BDNF and neuropsychological tests were performed at baseline and after 6 and 18 months of intervention . After 6 months , we found a significant increase in gray matter volume in the left pre central gyrus in the dancers compared to controls . This neuroplasticity effect may have been mediated by the increased BDNF plasma levels observed in the dancers . Regarding cognitive measures , both groups showed significant improvements in attention after 6 months and in verbal memory after 18 months . In addition , volume increases in the parahippocampal region were observed in the dancers after 18 months . The results of our study suggest that participating in a long-term dance program that requires constant cognitive and motor learning is superior to engaging in repetitive physical exercises in inducing neuroplasticity in the brains of seniors . Therefore , dance is highly promising in its potential to counteract age-related gray matter decline
Results concerning the association of chronic physical activity and motor performance are mixed and seem to be influenced by the study design , kind of exercise , motor task , and exercise intensity .
Regarding motor learning , a high physical activity or cardiovascular fitness level seems to boost the initial phase of motor learning ; results differ with respect to motor retention .
Overall , ( motor-coordinative ) intervention studies seem to be more promising than cross-sectional studies
Upper extremity motor performance declines with increasing age .
However , older adults need to maintain , learn new and relearn known motor tasks .
Research with young adults indicated that regular and acute physical activity might facilitate motor performance and motor learning processes .
Therefore , this review aim ed to examine the association between chronic physical activity and acute bouts of exercise on motor performance and motor learning in upper extremity motor tasks in older adults .