Physical Fitness, White Matter Volume and Academic Performance in Children: Findings From the ActiveBrains and FITKids2 Projects
Objectives: The aims of this study were (i) to examine the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and white matter volume and test whether those associations differ between normal-weight and overweight/obese children (ii) to analyze the association between other physical fitness components (i...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-02-01
|
Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00208/full |
id |
doaj-b5edaf71c621417291dbe92c6e3d27c3 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Irene Esteban-Cornejo Irene Esteban-Cornejo Maria Rodriguez-Ayllon Juan Verdejo-Roman Cristina Cadenas-Sanchez Jose Mora-Gonzalez Laura Chaddock-Heyman Lauren B. Raine Chelsea M. Stillman Arthur F. Kramer Arthur F. Kramer Kirk I. Erickson Andrés Catena Francisco B. Ortega Charles H. Hillman Charles H. Hillman |
spellingShingle |
Irene Esteban-Cornejo Irene Esteban-Cornejo Maria Rodriguez-Ayllon Juan Verdejo-Roman Cristina Cadenas-Sanchez Jose Mora-Gonzalez Laura Chaddock-Heyman Lauren B. Raine Chelsea M. Stillman Arthur F. Kramer Arthur F. Kramer Kirk I. Erickson Andrés Catena Francisco B. Ortega Charles H. Hillman Charles H. Hillman Physical Fitness, White Matter Volume and Academic Performance in Children: Findings From the ActiveBrains and FITKids2 Projects Frontiers in Psychology aerobic capacity motor ability speed-agility muscular strength brain structure academic achievement |
author_facet |
Irene Esteban-Cornejo Irene Esteban-Cornejo Maria Rodriguez-Ayllon Juan Verdejo-Roman Cristina Cadenas-Sanchez Jose Mora-Gonzalez Laura Chaddock-Heyman Lauren B. Raine Chelsea M. Stillman Arthur F. Kramer Arthur F. Kramer Kirk I. Erickson Andrés Catena Francisco B. Ortega Charles H. Hillman Charles H. Hillman |
author_sort |
Irene Esteban-Cornejo |
title |
Physical Fitness, White Matter Volume and Academic Performance in Children: Findings From the ActiveBrains and FITKids2 Projects |
title_short |
Physical Fitness, White Matter Volume and Academic Performance in Children: Findings From the ActiveBrains and FITKids2 Projects |
title_full |
Physical Fitness, White Matter Volume and Academic Performance in Children: Findings From the ActiveBrains and FITKids2 Projects |
title_fullStr |
Physical Fitness, White Matter Volume and Academic Performance in Children: Findings From the ActiveBrains and FITKids2 Projects |
title_full_unstemmed |
Physical Fitness, White Matter Volume and Academic Performance in Children: Findings From the ActiveBrains and FITKids2 Projects |
title_sort |
physical fitness, white matter volume and academic performance in children: findings from the activebrains and fitkids2 projects |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Psychology |
issn |
1664-1078 |
publishDate |
2019-02-01 |
description |
Objectives: The aims of this study were (i) to examine the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and white matter volume and test whether those associations differ between normal-weight and overweight/obese children (ii) to analyze the association between other physical fitness components (i.e., motor and muscular) and white matter volume, and (iii) to examine whether the fitness-related associations in white matter volume were related to academic performance.Methods: Data came from two independent projects: ActiveBrains project (n = 100; 10.0 ± 1.1 years; 100% overweight/obese; Spain) and FITKids2 project (n = 242; 8.6 ± 0.5 years; 36% overweight/obese, United States). Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed in both projects, and motor and muscular fitness were assessed in the ActiveBrains project. T1-weighted images were acquired with a 3.0 T S Magnetom Tim Trio system. Academic performance was assessed by standardized tests.Results: Cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with greater white matter volume in the ActiveBrain project (P < 0.001, k = 177; inferior fronto-opercular gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus) and in the FITKids project (P < 0.001, k = 117; inferior temporal gyrus, cingulate gyrus, middle occipital gyrus and fusiform gyrus) among overweight/obese children. However, no associations were found among normal-weight children in the FITKids project. In the ActiveBrains project, motor fitness was related to greater white matter volume (P < 0.001, k = 173) in six regions, specifically, insular cortex, caudate, bilateral superior temporal gyrus and bilateral supramarginal gyrus; muscular fitness was associated with greater white matter volumes (P < 0.001, k = 191) in two regions, particularly, the bilateral caudate and bilateral cerebellum IX. The white matter volume of six of these regions were related to academic performance, but after correcting for multiple comparisons, only the insular cortex remained significantly related to math calculations skills (β = 0.258; P < 0.005). In both projects, no brain regions showed a statistically significant negative association between any physical fitness component and white matter volume.Conclusion: Cardiorespiratory fitness may positively relate to white matter volume in overweight/obese children, and in turn, academic performance. In addition, motor and muscular fitness may also influence white matter volume coupled with better academic performance. From a public health perspective, implementing exercise interventions that combine aerobic, motor and muscular training to enhance physical fitness may benefit brain development and academic success. |
topic |
aerobic capacity motor ability speed-agility muscular strength brain structure academic achievement |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00208/full |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT ireneestebancornejo physicalfitnesswhitemattervolumeandacademicperformanceinchildrenfindingsfromtheactivebrainsandfitkids2projects AT ireneestebancornejo physicalfitnesswhitemattervolumeandacademicperformanceinchildrenfindingsfromtheactivebrainsandfitkids2projects AT mariarodriguezayllon physicalfitnesswhitemattervolumeandacademicperformanceinchildrenfindingsfromtheactivebrainsandfitkids2projects AT juanverdejoroman physicalfitnesswhitemattervolumeandacademicperformanceinchildrenfindingsfromtheactivebrainsandfitkids2projects AT cristinacadenassanchez physicalfitnesswhitemattervolumeandacademicperformanceinchildrenfindingsfromtheactivebrainsandfitkids2projects AT josemoragonzalez physicalfitnesswhitemattervolumeandacademicperformanceinchildrenfindingsfromtheactivebrainsandfitkids2projects AT laurachaddockheyman physicalfitnesswhitemattervolumeandacademicperformanceinchildrenfindingsfromtheactivebrainsandfitkids2projects AT laurenbraine physicalfitnesswhitemattervolumeandacademicperformanceinchildrenfindingsfromtheactivebrainsandfitkids2projects AT chelseamstillman physicalfitnesswhitemattervolumeandacademicperformanceinchildrenfindingsfromtheactivebrainsandfitkids2projects AT arthurfkramer physicalfitnesswhitemattervolumeandacademicperformanceinchildrenfindingsfromtheactivebrainsandfitkids2projects AT arthurfkramer physicalfitnesswhitemattervolumeandacademicperformanceinchildrenfindingsfromtheactivebrainsandfitkids2projects AT kirkierickson physicalfitnesswhitemattervolumeandacademicperformanceinchildrenfindingsfromtheactivebrainsandfitkids2projects AT andrescatena physicalfitnesswhitemattervolumeandacademicperformanceinchildrenfindingsfromtheactivebrainsandfitkids2projects AT franciscobortega physicalfitnesswhitemattervolumeandacademicperformanceinchildrenfindingsfromtheactivebrainsandfitkids2projects AT charleshhillman physicalfitnesswhitemattervolumeandacademicperformanceinchildrenfindingsfromtheactivebrainsandfitkids2projects AT charleshhillman physicalfitnesswhitemattervolumeandacademicperformanceinchildrenfindingsfromtheactivebrainsandfitkids2projects |
_version_ |
1724898511020883968 |
spelling |
doaj-b5edaf71c621417291dbe92c6e3d27c32020-11-25T02:15:00ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782019-02-011010.3389/fpsyg.2019.00208416894Physical Fitness, White Matter Volume and Academic Performance in Children: Findings From the ActiveBrains and FITKids2 ProjectsIrene Esteban-Cornejo0Irene Esteban-Cornejo1Maria Rodriguez-Ayllon2Juan Verdejo-Roman3Cristina Cadenas-Sanchez4Jose Mora-Gonzalez5Laura Chaddock-Heyman6Lauren B. Raine7Chelsea M. Stillman8Arthur F. Kramer9Arthur F. Kramer10Kirk I. Erickson11Andrés Catena12Francisco B. Ortega13Charles H. Hillman14Charles H. Hillman15Center for Cognitive and Brain Health, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United StatesPROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health through Physical Activity” Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, SpainPROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health through Physical Activity” Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, SpainDepartment of Experimental Psychology, Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, SpainPROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health through Physical Activity” Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, SpainPROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health through Physical Activity” Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, SpainBeckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United StatesCenter for Cognitive and Brain Health, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United StatesCenter for Cognitive and Brain Health, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United StatesBeckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United StatesBrain Aging and Cognitive Health Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United StatesDepartment of Experimental Psychology, Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, SpainPROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health through Physical Activity” Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, SpainCenter for Cognitive and Brain Health, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United StatesDepartment of Physical Therapy, Movement, and Rehabilitation Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United StatesObjectives: The aims of this study were (i) to examine the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and white matter volume and test whether those associations differ between normal-weight and overweight/obese children (ii) to analyze the association between other physical fitness components (i.e., motor and muscular) and white matter volume, and (iii) to examine whether the fitness-related associations in white matter volume were related to academic performance.Methods: Data came from two independent projects: ActiveBrains project (n = 100; 10.0 ± 1.1 years; 100% overweight/obese; Spain) and FITKids2 project (n = 242; 8.6 ± 0.5 years; 36% overweight/obese, United States). Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed in both projects, and motor and muscular fitness were assessed in the ActiveBrains project. T1-weighted images were acquired with a 3.0 T S Magnetom Tim Trio system. Academic performance was assessed by standardized tests.Results: Cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with greater white matter volume in the ActiveBrain project (P < 0.001, k = 177; inferior fronto-opercular gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus) and in the FITKids project (P < 0.001, k = 117; inferior temporal gyrus, cingulate gyrus, middle occipital gyrus and fusiform gyrus) among overweight/obese children. However, no associations were found among normal-weight children in the FITKids project. In the ActiveBrains project, motor fitness was related to greater white matter volume (P < 0.001, k = 173) in six regions, specifically, insular cortex, caudate, bilateral superior temporal gyrus and bilateral supramarginal gyrus; muscular fitness was associated with greater white matter volumes (P < 0.001, k = 191) in two regions, particularly, the bilateral caudate and bilateral cerebellum IX. The white matter volume of six of these regions were related to academic performance, but after correcting for multiple comparisons, only the insular cortex remained significantly related to math calculations skills (β = 0.258; P < 0.005). In both projects, no brain regions showed a statistically significant negative association between any physical fitness component and white matter volume.Conclusion: Cardiorespiratory fitness may positively relate to white matter volume in overweight/obese children, and in turn, academic performance. In addition, motor and muscular fitness may also influence white matter volume coupled with better academic performance. From a public health perspective, implementing exercise interventions that combine aerobic, motor and muscular training to enhance physical fitness may benefit brain development and academic success.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00208/fullaerobic capacitymotor abilityspeed-agilitymuscular strengthbrain structureacademic achievement |