The effect of acute aerobic exercise on the consolidation of motor memories

Acute aerobic exercise performed prior to training may assist with motor skill acquisition through enhancement of motor cortical plasticity. In addition, high-intensity exercise performed after training improves retention, although the mechanisms of this are unclear. We hypothesized that acute continuous moderate-intensity exercise performed post-motor training would also assist with motor skill retention and that this behavioral change would be positively correlated with neural markers of training-related cortical adaptation. Participants [ n = 33; assigned to an exercise (EXE) or control (CON) group] completed a single visuomotor training session using bilateral wrist movements while movement-related cortical potentials (MRCPs) were collected. After motor training, the EXE group exercised for 20 min [70% of heart rate reserve (HRR)] and the CON group read for the same amount of time. Both groups completed two post-training tests after exercise/rest: 10 min and ~ 30 min once heart rate returned to resting level in EXE. Retention and transfer tests were both completed 1 and 7 days later. MRCPs measured training-related neural adaptations during the first visit and motor performance was assessed as time and trajectory to the target. The EXE group had better performance than CON at retention (significant 7 days post-training). MRCP amplitudes increased from early to late motor training and this amplitude change was correlated with motor performance at retention. Results suggest that moderate-intensity exercise post-motor training helps motor skill retention and that there may be a relationship with motor training-related cortical adaptations that is enhanced with post-motor training exercise.