Examinando por Autor "Luque-Casado, Antonio"

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A novel approach to study the behavioral, neural and phenomenological impact of prefrontal HD-tDCS on conflict resolution
(PsyArXiv, 2024-09-14) Holgado, Darías; Martínez-Pérez, Víctor; Martín-Arévalo, Elisa; Bekinschtein, Tristán A.; Fernández-del-Olmo, Miguel A.; Sanabria, Daniel; Luque-Casado, Antonio
This study aimed to investigate the effects of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) on conflict resolution, focusing on behavioral performance, neural activity, and subjective experience. Sixty participants were randomly assigned to anodal, cathodal, or sham HD-tDCS groups and completed a 30-minute flanker task during stimulation. Using a comprehensive methodological approach, including Drift-Diffusion Modeling (DDM), EEG analysis, Lempel-Ziv complexity, and Temporal Experience Tracing (TET), we assessed the cognitive, neural, and phenomenological effects of stimulation. Behavioral results indicated no significant improvements in reaction times or accuracy across the stimulation groups. Similarly, DDM parameters showed no effect of HD-tDCS on cognitive processes. However, EEG data revealed a significant reduction in neural complexity, in the anodal group during resting-state, suggesting neural reorganization. Subjective experience analysis identified two distinct clusters of task-related feelings, though time spent in these experiential states did not differ between groups. Interestingly, sensation of stimulation was significantly higher for anodal stimulation than sham when analyzed as a single dimension. Despite null behavioral effects, this study provides important insights into the neural and subjective responses to HD-tDCS and emphasizes the value of advanced analytic techniques in examining brain stimulation effects. These findings contribute to the ongoing debate about the efficacy of tDCS in cognitive enhancement.
An umbrella review of randomized control trials on the effects of physical exercise on cognition
(Springer Nature, 2023-03-27) Ciria, Luis F.; Román-Caballero, Rafael; Vadillo, Miguel A.; Holgado, Darías; Luque-Casado, Antonio; Perakakis, Pandelis; Sanabria, Daniel
Extensive research links regular physical exercise to an overall enhancement of cognitive function across the lifespan. Here we assess the causal evidence supporting this relationship in the healthy population, using an umbrella review of meta-analyses limited to randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Despite most of the 24 reviewed meta-analyses reporting a positive overall effect, our assessment reveals evidence of low statistical power in the primary RCTs, selective inclusion of studies, publication bias and large variation in combinations of pre-processing and analytic decisions. In addition, our meta-analysis of all the primary RCTs included in the revised meta-analyses shows small exercise-related benefits (d = 0.22, 95% confidence interval 0.16 to 0.28) that became substantially smaller after accounting for key moderators (that is, active control and baseline differences; d = 0.13, 95% confidence interval 0.07 to 0.20), and negligible after correcting for publication bias (d = 0.05, 95% confidence interval −0.09 to 0.14). These findings suggest caution in claims and recommendations linking regular physical exercise to cognitive benefits in the healthy human population until more reliable causal evidence accumulates.
Análisis del efecto de un programa de Aprendizaje-Servicio sobre el rendimiento académico, la motivación y el emprendimiento social en estudiantes de la asignatura Iniciación al Voleibol
(Dykinson, 2024) Claver, Fernando; Luque-Casado, Antonio; Mayo, Xián; Gil-Arias, Alexander; Jiménez-Saiz, Sergio; González-Ródenas, Joaquín
El Aprendizaje-Servicio (ApS) como metodología innovadora que combina la adquisición de competencias por parte del estudiante con la prestación de un servicio a la comunidad tiene un recorrido limitado en las Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte. El objetivo del trabajo fue analizar el efecto de un programa ApS sobre el rendimiento académico, la motivación y el emprendimiento social de alumnos universitarios. Se planteó un diseño cuasiexperimental con un grupo experimental (N = 16) y un grupo control (N = 18). Los alumnos del grupo experimental aplicaron tres sesiones de enseñanza de voleibol playa (aprendizaje) a un grupo de adolescentes en riesgo de exclusión social (servicio). Se reportaron valores significativamente superiores en las calificaciones, la motivación intrínseca y el emprendimiento social de los alumnos del grupo experimental tras la aplicación del programa. El ApS tuvo una influencia positiva en los alumnos participantes, pudiendo ser atribuida a la aplicación de las competencias profesionales en un contexto real.
Associations between accommodative dynamics, heart rate variability and behavioural performance during sustained attention: A test-retest study.
(Elsevier, 2019-08-28) Redondo, Beatriz; Vera, Jesús; Luque-Casado, Antonio; García-Ramos, Amador; Jiménez, Raimundo
This study evaluated the time-on-task effect of a sustained attention task on the accommodative response, explored the link between ocular accommodation, cardiac autonomic regulation and behavioral performance, and tested the inter-session repeatability of these results by performing the same experimental procedure on different days. The accommodative response was measured in 25 university students using a WAM-5500 autorefractor, while participants performed a 10-minute psychomotor vigilance task at 50 cm. There were no time-on-task effects for the lag of accommodation, whereas the microfluctuations of accommodation and reaction time were modulated as a function of time-on-task, observing a progressive increment of both variables over time. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the microfluctuations of accommodation were a reasonably good predictor of behavioral performance. Analysis of inter-session repeatability showed that ocular accommodation, heart rate variability and reaction time had a low to moderate level of repeatability between two measurements. The microfluctuations of accommodation were sensitive to time-on-task effects during sustained attention, with a lower stability of accommodation being linked to reduced behavioral performance. The predictive capacity of the variability of accommodation for behavioral performance might be explained by the brain mechanisms shared by the ocular dynamics and attentional state; however, future studies would be required to elucidate this association. The low to moderate inter-session repeatability indicated that results in two measurement periods cannot be considered interchangeable, and therefore, the results of this study should be interpreted cautiously in this regard.
Caffeine alters the dynamics of ocular accommodation depending on the habitual caffeine intake.
(Elsevier, 2019-05-15) Redondo, Beatríz; Vera, Jesús; Molina, Rubén; Luque-Casado, Antonio; Jiménez, Raimundo
Highlights • The lag of accommodative response while performing a 10-min attention task is insensitive to caffeine intake. • A single dose of caffeine induces a more stable accommodative response in high caffeine consumers. • Caffeine's effects on the dynamics of ocular accommodation are subject to tolerance.
Delving into the relationship between regular physical exercise and cardiac interoception in two cross-sectional studies
(Elsevier, 2024-06-06) Yoris, Adrián E.; Cira, Luis F.; Luque-Casado, Antonio; Salvotti, Caterina; Tajadura-Jiménez, Ana; Avancini, Chiara; Zarza-Rebollo, Juan Antonio; Sanabria, Daniel; Perakakis, Pandelis
Cardiac interoception, the ability to sense and process cardiac afferent signals, has been shown to improve after a single session of acute physical exercise. However, it remains unclear whether repetitive engagement in physical exercise over time leads to long-term changes in cardiac interoceptive accuracy. It is also unknown whether those changes affect the neural activity associated with the processing of afferent cardiac signals, assessed by the heart-evoked potential (HEP). In this study, we aimed to investigate this hypothesis through two cross-sectional studies, categorizing participants as active or inactive based on physical fitness (Study I; N = 45) or self-reported physical activity levels (Study II; N = 60). Interoception was assessed at rest using the HEP (Studies I and II), the Heartbeat Counting task (Study II), and the Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI) (Study II). Study I showed strong evidence of better cardiovascular fitness in the active group than in the inactive group as well as robust between-group differences in electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings. Study 2 replicated the clear differences in ECG as a function of regular physical activity. Those results were expected due to clear differences in physical activity habits. In contrast, our analysis revealed no robust differences between groups across cardiac interoception tasks and the RHI, although the direct relevance of these measures to interoception remains under investigation. In sum, our results do not provide convincing evidence to support a strong version of the notion that regular physical exercise is associated with an enhanced in cardiac interoception.
Effect of induced alkalosis on performance during a field-simulated BMX cycling competition
(Elsevier, 2019-03-01) Peinado, Ana B.; Holgado, Darías; Luque-Casado, Antonio; Rojo-Tirado, Miguel A.; Sanabria, Daniel; González, Coral; Mateo-March, Manuel; Sánchez-Muñoz, Cristóbal; Calderón, Francisco J.; Zabala, Mikel
Objectives: The aim of the present study was to test the effect of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3-) ingestion on performance during a simulated competition on a Bicycle Motocross (BMX) track. Design: Double-blind cross-over study. Methods: Twelve elite male BMX cyclists (age: 19.2±3.4 years; height: 174.2±5.3cm; body mass: 72.4±8.4kg) ingested either NaHCO3- (0.3g.kg-1 body weight) or placebo 90min prior to exercise. The cyclists completed three races in a BMX Olympic track interspersed with 15min of recovery. Blood samples were collected to assess the blood acid-base status. Performance, cardiorespiratory, heart rate variability (HRV) as well as subjective variables were assessed. Results: The main effect of condition (NaHCO3- vs. placebo) was observed in pH, bicarbonate concentration and base excess (p<0.05), with a significant blood alkalosis. No changes were found in time, peak velocity and time to peak velocity for condition (p>0.05). The HRV analysis showed a significant effect of NaHCO3- ingestion, expressed by the rMSSD30 (root mean square of the successive differences) (p<0.001). There was no effect of condition on oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production, or pulmonary ventilation (p>0.05). Finally, there was no effect of condition for any subjective scale (p>0.05). Conclusions: We present here the first field condition study to investigate the effect of bicarbonate ingestion over performance in BMX discipline. The results showed that NaHCO3--induced alkalosis did not improve performance in a simulated BMX competition in elite BMX cyclists, although future studies should consider the effects of NaHCO3- on autonomic function as a component of recovery.
Effects of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation on conflict resolution: insights from behavioral, EEG and phenomenological measures
(Elsevier, 2024-10) Sanabria, Daniel; Holgado, Darías; Martínez-Pérez, Víctor; Martín-Arévalo, Elisa; Bekinschtein, Tristán A.; Fernández-del-Olmo, Miguel Á.; Luque-Casado, Antonio
The efficacy of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques in enhancing conflict resolution abilities remains a contentious issue in cognitive neuroscience. To contribute further to this topic, we employed a sham-controlled between-groups design to investigate the cognitive, phenomenological, and physiological effects of anodal and cathodal high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) targeting the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during conflict resolution tasks. Sixty participants completed a 30-minute flanker task, a widely used measure of cognitive control and conflict processing. Electroencephalography (EEG) activity was recorded at four time points: at rest, prior to task commencement, during task execution before tDCS administration, during task execution after tDCS administration, and post-task rest. Additionally, a novel method called temporal experience tracing (TET) was employed to retrospectively evaluate participants' subjective experiences throughout the experimental procedure. TET involved participants reporting the intensity of predefined experiential dimensions along a temporal axis. Findings revealed no statistically significant differences between tDCS groups in reaction time, accuracy data, drift diffusion modeling, or EEG frequency power analyses. Analysis of TET data unveiled an anticipated temporal pattern across all subjective dimensions, e.g., an increase in mind-wandering over time. Notably, significant differences between tDCS groups emerged in the "fed-up" and "boredom" dimensions, indicating varied subjective experiences influenced by stimulation conditions. Furthermore, Lempel-Ziv analysis demonstrated that EEG complexity escalated from the pre-task to post-task periods to a greater extent in the cathodal and sham conditions compared to the anodal condition. In summary, this study provides valuable insights into the nuanced effects of tDCS during conflict resolution tasks. Notably, the employment of the novel TET methodology allowed for a comprehensive assessment of participants' subjective experiences throughout the experimental procedure. These findings contribute to advancing our understanding of the cognitive and phenomenological effects of tDCS and underscore the importance of integrating innovative methodologies in neurostimulation research.
Is intense physical exercise detrimental for cognition? A novel approach based on subjective, behavioral and physiological responses to a cognitive effort to failure
(PsyArXiv, 2024-12-23) Holgado, Darías; Leubaz, Ludovic; Ruggeri, Paolo; Borragán, Guillermo; Luque-Casado, Antonio; Bekinschtein, Tristán A.; Sanabria, Daniel; Place, Nicolas
Most previous research has investigated whether performing a demanding cognitive task reduces the time a person can hold a subsequent physical effort. However, no previous research has investigated if performing an intense physical exercise reduces the time a person can complete a cognitive task with an adequate level of performance. The aim of this study was to assess the subjective, behavioral and physiological responses of performing an intense physical exercise on a posterior cognitive tak until failure. In a pre-registered, randomized, within-participant design experiment, 29 physically active participants completed a cognitive task until failure after running at 90% maximal aerobic speed until failure or after walking for 10 min (control condition). During the cognitive task, brain activity was recorded with an electroencephalogram and brain complexity was quantified. Multidimensional subjective experience was assessed with the Temporal Experience Tracing method (TET). Sequential Bayesian analysis for the main hypothesis (intense physical exercise reduces cognitive task performance) until it reached strong evidence in favor of the alternative hypothesis (BF10 > 6) or the null hypothesis (BF10 < 1/6) were conducted. The physical exercise induced a reduction in maximal force generating capacity and increased rate of perceived exertion compared to the control condition, evidencing the strong differences in physical workload between conditions. The total duration to complete the cognitive task in both conditions were 4755.8 s (95% CI 3326.8 - 5107.8) and 4308.2 s (95% CI 3902.9 - 5481.2) for the control and experimental conditions, respectively with no evidence of difference across sessions (BF10 = 0.329). Subjective experience analysis identified two distinct clusters of task-related demands, but the time spent in these experiential states did not differ between conditions. However, cognitive task performance was better in the phases of low perceived demands. Brain complexity was lower after the maximal aerobic speed effort, indicating a potential shift in physiological states, although neither behavioral (cognitive) performance nor subjective feelings were affected.
Ocular Accommodative Response is Modulated as a Function of Physical Exercise Intensity.
(Taylor & Francis, 2019-04-03) Vera, Jesús; Luque-Casado, Antonio; Redondo, Beatríz; Cárdenas, David; Jiménez, Raimundo; García-Ramos, Amador
Purpose: The present study aimed (1) to examine the impact of two high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protocols differing in exercise intensity (low intensity and high intensity) on the dynamic accommodative response (AR), and (2) to elucidate whether the ocular accommodation changes are associated with the function of the autonomic nervous system during stimulus processing, as measured by the heart rate variability (HRV). Methods: Twenty physically active university students (9 women; age = 23.9 ± 3.3 years) were tested on three separate sessions. The lag of accommodation and the root mean square of successive R-R interval differences (RMSSD) parameter of HRV were obtained at the beginning and at the end of each testing session, while one of the following protocols was applied in a randomized order between the measurements, low-intensity HIIT (8 sprints with 60 s of rest), high-intensity HIIT (8 sprints with 30 s of rest), and Control (walking for 8 min). Results: Our data demonstrated a higher lag of accommodation after the high-intensity HIIT compared to the low-intensity HIIT (p = 0.006, d = 0.798) and control (p = 0.007, d = 0.741), but no significant differences were observed between the low-intensity HIIT protocol and control condition (p = 0.598, d = 0.12). As expected, lower HRV values were observed with higher exercise intensity, but the changes of AR and HRV were not significantly correlated (p > 0.05 in all cases). Conclusions: The present findings indicate that the acute effects of exercise on ocular accommodation depend on exercise intensity, showing that highly demanding physical effort induces a greater lag of accommodation, which may be of relevance when performing near activities after physical efforts.
Oscillatory brain activity during acute exercise: Tonic and transient neural response to an oddball task
(Wiley, 2019-01-13) Ciria, Luis F.; Luque-Casado, Antonio; Sanabria, Daniel; Holgado, Darías; Ivanov, Plamen Ch.; Perakakis, Pandelis
Intense physical exercise exerts measurable changes at various physiological levels that are well documented in the literature. However, despite the key role of the brain in processing inputs from internal organ systems and the external environment to coordinate and optimize behavior, little is known about brain dynamics during exercise. The present study investigates tonic and transient oscillatory brain activity in a group of participants performing an oddball task during a single bout of aerobic exercise. Twenty young males (19-32 years) were recruited for two experimental sessions on separate days. EEG activity was recorded during a session of cycling at 80% (moderate-to-high intensity) of VO2max (maximum rate of oxygen consumption) while participants responded to infrequent targets (red square and big blue circle) presented among frequent nontargets (small blue circle). This was compared to a (baseline) light intensity session (30% VO2max ) to control any potential effect of dual tasking (i.e., pedaling and performing the oddball task). A cluster-based nonparametric permutations test revealed an increase in power across the entire frequency spectrum during the moderate-to-high intensity exercise compared to light intensity. Furthermore, the more salient target (red square) elicited a lower increase in (stimulus-evoked) theta power in the 80% VO2max than in the light intensity condition. Alpha and lower beta power decreased less in the standard trials (small blue circle) during the moderate-to-high exercise condition than in the light exercise condition. The present study unveils, for the first time, a complex brain activity pattern during vigorous exercise while attending to task-relevant stimuli.
Reply to: Do not underestimate the cognitive benefits of exercise
(Nature Research, 2024-08-20) Ciria, Luis F; Román-Caballero, Rafael; Vadillo, Miguel A; Holgado, Darias; Luque-Casado, Antonio; Perakakis, Pandelis; Sanabria, Daniel
Test-Retest Reliability of the Timed Up and Go Test in Subjects with Parkinson's Disease: Implications for Longitudinal Assessments
(SAGE, 2021) Luque-Casado, Antonio; Novo-Ponte, Sabela; Sánchez-Molina, Jose Andrés; Sevilla-Sánchez, Marta; Santos-García, Diego; Fernández-del-Olmo, Miguel
BACKGROUND: Despite the frequent use of the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test in clinical trials, evaluation of longitudinal test-retest reliability is generally lacking and still inconclusive for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). OBJECTIVE: We aimed to further investigate long-term reliability and sensitivity of the TUG test among this population. Furthermore, we explored alternative assessment strategies of the test aimed at elucidating whether the inclusion or combination of timed trials may have potential implications on outcome measure. METHODS: Relative and absolute reliability of the TUG performance were obtained in forty-three subjects with PD over three timed trials in two different testing sessions separated by a two-months period. RESULTS: Our results reported excellent intra-session and moderate inter-session reliability coefficients. The use of different assessment strategies of the TUG was found to have an important impact on outcome measure, highlighting the averaging of several timed trials in each testing session as a recommended alternative to minimize measurement error and increase reliability in longitudinal assessments. Nevertheless, beyond acceptable reliability, poor trial-to-trial stability of the measure appears to exist, since the ranges of expected variability upon retesting were wide and the incidence of spurious statistical effects was not negligible, especially in longitudinal repeated testing. CONCLUSION: Limitations may exist in the interpretation of the TUG outputs as part of longitudinal assessments aimed at evaluating treatment effectiveness in PD population. Researchers and practitioners should be aware of these concerns to prevent possible misrepresentations of functional ability in patients for a particular intervention.
The impact of prefrontal high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) on conflict resolution and its phenomenological dynamics
(2023-09) Martínez-Pérez, Víctor; Alameda, Clara; Martín-Arévalo, Elisa; Fuentes, Luis; Bekinschtein, Tristán; Fernández-del-Olmo, Miguel A.; Sanabria, Daniel; Luque-Casado, Antonio
The effects of applying non-invasive brain stimulation techniques on conflict resolution performance is still an open question. Here we will address this issue by assessing the cognitive and physiological effects of applying anodal and cathodal HD-tDCS over DLPFC on conflict resolution by using a 30' flanker task. Moreover, the effects of the stimulation on phenomenological dynamics over the course of the task will be addressed. In a pre-registered, randomized, sham-controlled, parallel study, we will assign participants to one of the 3 groups of stimulation: anodal, cathodal, sham. A pre-post resting state EEG and the task-related oscillatory activity during the first and last 6' temporal blocks of the task will be measured. Stimulation will be applied online from the second to the fourth block of trials (18'). Right after, participants will be asked to report their temporal experience tracing. Behavioral data will be analyzed by applying a drift diffusion modelling. This novel approach will allow us to get a more thorough understanding of cognitive processes and electrophysiological mechanisms underlying the effects of stimulation on conflict resolution. As far as we know, this will be the most comprehensive work on this topic
The impact of prefrontal tDCS on conflict resolution and its phenomenological dynamics: a HD-tDCS/EEG randomized sham-controlled novel approach based on Drift Diffusion Modeling
(Elsevier, 2023-10) Martínez-Pérez, Víctor; Martín-Arévalo, Elisa; Fuentes, Luis; Fernández-del-Olmo, Miguel Á.; Sanabria, Daniel; Luque-Casado, Antonio
When humans are faced with conflict resolution tasks, performance is usually impaired. The effects of applying non-invasive brain stimulation techniques on conflict resolution performance is still an open question under debate. In this study we will address this issue by assessing the cognitive and physiological effects of applying anodal and cathodal high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) over bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on conflict resolution by using a 30-min flanker task. Moreover, the effects of the stimulation on phenomenological constructs such as mind-wandering, boredom, perceived cognitive effort and arousal over the course of the task will be addressed. In a pre-registered, randomized, sham-controlled, parallel study, we will assign participants to one of the three groups of stimulation: anodal, cathodal, and sham. A pre-post resting state EEG and the task-related oscillatory activity during the first and last 6-min temporal blocks of the task will be measured. Stimulation will be applied online from the second to the fourth block of trials (18 minutes). Right after, participants will be asked to report their temporal experience tracing (TET), a method that captures relevant aspects of their phenomenological experiences over a continuous period of time by drawing their headway in the task between two axes. Behavioral data will be analyzed by applying a drift diffusion modelling that enables statistical separation of different components of a speeded binary decision process. This novel approach will allow us to get a more thorough understanding of cognitive processes and electrophysiological mechanisms underlying the effects of cathodal and anodal stimulation on conflict resolution. As far as we know, this will be the most comprehensive piece of work within this research topic.
Understanding Behavioral Regulation Towards Physical Activity Participation: Do We Need a Paradigm Shift to Close the Gender Gap?
(MDPI, 2021-02-04) Luque-Casado, Antonio; Mayo, Xián; Lavín-Pérez, Ana Myriam; Jiménez, Alfonso; Del Villar, Fernando
Despite the well-established benefits of physical activity for both physical and psychological health, current inactivity prevalence continues to be particularly alarming among adolescents and youth. Equally of great concern is the existence of striking gender differences that represent a serious threat to reverse this problem. We aimed to analyze gender-related differences in self-reported physical activity and motivational regulations in a population-based sample of Spaniard adolescents and young adults (n = 9949). To this aim, we used an explanatory mixed-methods design by integrating quantitative and qualitative data using self-determination theory (SDT) as an analytic framework. Our results reported a gender imbalance in physical activity levels and autonomous forms of motivation to the detriment of adolescent girls and young women. An earlier and steeper age-related decline both in activity and volitional types of motivation was observed in girls. Qualitative outcomes depicted a range of key cognitive and contextual mechanisms undermining the degree to which physically active behaviors are volitionally undertaken among women. These findings highlight the importance of implementing gender-sensitive policy approaches and may have a useful application in suggesting how contextual factors and exercise settings can be addressed to foster volitional types of physical activity engagement in adolescent girls and young women.