Neural Adaptations to a Single Session of Metronome-Paced Strength Training
NCT Number: NCT06539650
Status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
Phases: NA
Conditions: Healthy
Interventions: OTHER: Fractal Paced|OTHER: Isochronus Paced|OTHER: Self Paced
Sponsor: Egas Moniz - Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, CRL
Collaborators: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Sex: MALE
Age: ADULT
Enrollment: 30
Study Design: Allocation: RANDOMIZED|Intervention Model: CROSSOVER|Masking: SINGLE (PARTICIPANT)|Primary Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
Start Date: 2024-07-22
Completion Date: 2025-07-31
Locations: Egas Moniz School of Health & Science, Almada, Monte De Caparica, 2829-699, Portugal

Summary:
The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of incorporating variability within a single session of Resistance Training (RT) methods on the neural adaptations along the corticospinal tract and on neuromuscular function. The literature suggests that RTis one of the most common modalities to enhance and restore muscle function and its practice results in adaptation in neural and morphological adaptations. Moreover, it is also known that muscle contraction relies on the coordination and regulation of the descending neural drive from the motor cortex to the motoneurons and from the motoneurons to the muscles. However, traditional RT programs tend not to address this motor control dimension. Recent approaches such as metronome paced strength training have been used to cover this motor control dimension through a greater control and consciousness of movement. However, this methodology tends not to incorporate the inherent variability and complex, fractal-like fluctuations that characterize human movement. The investigators propose that incorporating variability through a fractal-like metronome approach will speed up the neural adaptations which will be useful in injury rehab

Primary Outcome Measures: Corticospinal Excitability (CSE) changes Pre-to-Post intervention both within and between Fractal paced, Isochronus Paced and Self paced conditions, CSE is a parameter extracted through the application of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). This parameter provides information regarding the level of excitability of the corticospinal tract., PRE (before intervention), POST (immediately after the intervention), POST 30 (30 minutes after the intervention), POST 60 (60 minutes after the intervention)|Short-Interval Intracortical Inhibition (SICI) changes Pre-to-Post intervention both within and between Fractal paced, Isochronus Paced and Self paced conditions, SICI is a parameter extracted through the application of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). This parameter provides information regarding the level of inhibition within the motor cortex., PRE (before intervention), POST (immediately after the intervention), POST 30 (30 minutes after the intervention), POST 60 (60 minutes after the intervention)|Corticospinal Silent Period (CSP) changes Pre-to-Post intervention both within and between Fractal paced, Isochronus Paced and Self paced conditions, CSP is a parameter extracted through the application of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). This parameter provides information regarding the level of inhibition along the corticospinal tract., PRE (before intervention), POST (immediately after the intervention), POST 30 (30 minutes after the intervention), POST 60 (60 minutes after the intervention)|Intracortical Facilitation (ICF) changes Pre-to-Post intervention both within and between Fractal paced, Isochronus Paced and Self paced conditions, ICF is a parameter extracted through the application of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). This parameter provides information regarding the level of facilitation within the motor cortex., PRE (before intervention), POST (immediately after the intervention), POST 30 (30 minutes after the intervention), POST 60 (60 minutes after the intervention)|Lumbar Evoked Potentials (LEP) changes Pre-to-Post intervention both within and between Fractal paced, Isochronus Paced and Self paced conditions, LEP is a measure extracted through the aplication of Lumbar stimulation. This measure allow to distinguish the adaptations that occur at spinal level as a result of strength training., PRE (before intervention), POST (immediately after the intervention), POST 30 (30 minutes after the intervention), POST 60 (60 minutes after the intervention)|Maximal Compound Action Potentials (Mmax) changes Pre-to-Post intervention both within and between Fractal paced, Isochronus Paced and Self paced conditions, Mmax is a measure assessed through peripheral nerve stimulation and represents the maximal capacity of recruit the motoneurons that innerve a muscle, PRE (before intervention), POST (immediately after the intervention), POST 30 (30 minutes after the intervention), POST 60 (60 minutes after the intervention)
Secondary Outcome Measures: Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction (MVIC) changes Pre-to-Post intervention both within and between Fractal paced, Isochronus Paced and Self paced conditions, MVIC is defined as the maximal force an individual can produce against an immovable resistance, PRE (before intervention), POST (immediately after the intervention), POST 30 (30 minutes after the intervention), POST 60 (60 minutes after the intervention)|Sample Entropy (SampEn) changes Pre-to-Post intervention both within and between Fractal paced, Isochronus Paced and Self paced conditions, SampEn is a non-linear measure of the temporal structure of force output, being an indicator of the regularity of this physiological output. It is obtained from sustained submaximal isometric contractions and it has been proposed as an indirect index of the capacity of the neuromuscular system to adapt the force output to changes in environment, i.e., its adaptability., PRE (before intervention), POST (immediately after the intervention), POST 30 (30 minutes after the intervention), POST 60 (60 minutes after the intervention)|Coefficient ov variation (CV) changes Pre-to-Post intervention both within and between Fractal paced, Isochronus Paced and Self paced conditions, CV is a common linear measure that translates the amount of variability within the signal and is calculated through the standard deviation normalised to the mean of a time series, PRE (before intervention), POST (immediately after the intervention), POST 30 (30 minutes after the intervention), POST 60 (60 minutes after the intervention)