Cortical, subcortical and spinal neural correlates of slackline training-induced balance performance improvements

• Published in: NeuroImage (Orlando, Fla.) Fla.), 2019-11, Vol.202, p.116061-116061, Article 116061
• Main Authors: Giboin, Louis-Solal, Loewe, Kristian, Hassa, Thomas, Kramer, Andreas, Dettmers, Christian, Spiteri, Stefan, Gruber, Markus, Schoenfeld, Mircea Ariel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ankle; Balance; Brain mapping; Children; Cortex; Excitability; Functional connectivity; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Functional plasticity; H-reflex; Hypotheses; Motor learning; MRI; Neural networks; Neuroplasticity; Posture; Rehabilitation; Spinal plasticity; Sports training; Strength training; Studies; Walking
• ISSN: 1053-8119; 1095-9572
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116061

Humans develop posture and balance control during childhood. Interestingly, adults can also learn to master new complex balance tasks, but the underlying neural mechanisms are not fully understood yet. Here, we combined broad scale brain connectivity fMRI at rest and spinal excitability measurements during movement. Six weeks of slackline training improved the capability to walk on a slackline which was paralleled by functional connectivity changes in brain regions associated with posture and balance control and by task-specific changes of spinal excitability. Importantly, the performance of trainees was not better than control participants in a different, untrained balance task. In conclusion, slackline training induced large-scale neuroplasticity which solely transferred into highly task specific performance improvements. •We tested the effect of training to walk on a slackline for 6 weeks.•It was associated with connectivity changes in many motor control areas.•Yet, trained participants were not better than control on an untrained balance task.•We observed a task-specific modulation of a spinal plasticity marker.•Training probably induced task-specific neural adaptation that prevents transfer.