Seven human subjects with body mass indices (BMIs) ranging from 19.4 kg/ m2 to 26.7 kg/ m2 and six human subjects with BMIs ranging from 32.1 kg/ m2 to 37.6 kg/ m2 were recruited and subjected to 45-minute bouts of acute exercise to look at the changes in the plasma concentration of the dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid (HVA) in response to acute physical activity. Plasma HVA concentration was measured before exercise and during the last 10 minutes of the exercise bout via competitive ELISA. On average the optical density (OD) of the samples taken from lean subjects decreased from 0.203 before exercise to 0.192 during exercise, indicating increased plasma HVA concentration. In subjects with obesity OD increased from 0.210 before exercise to 0.219 during exercise, indicating reduced plasma HVA concentration. These differences in OD were not statistically significant. Between the lean group and the group with obesity no significant difference was observed between the OD of the plasma samples taken before exercise, but a significant difference (p = 0.0209) was observed between the ODs of the samples taken after exercise. This indicated that there was a significant difference between the percent changes in OD between the lean group and the group with obesity, which suggested that there may be a body weight-dependent difference in the amount of dopamine released in response to exercise. Because of the lack of significance in the changes in OD within the lean group and the group with obesity the results of this study were insufficient to conclude that this difference is not due to chance, but further investigation is warranted.

In this quantitative research paper, we explored the correlation between the six dimensions of motivation as part of the Self-Determination Theory spectrum and physical activity. In addition, our aim was to also see if Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) paired with exercise as an intervention would affect motivation to exercise over time.

In this quantitative research paper, we explored the correlation between the six dimensions of motivation as part of the Self-Determination Theory spectrum and physical activity. In addition, our aim was to also see if Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) paired with exercise as an intervention would affect motivation to exercise over time.

The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of a modified Assisted Cycling Therapy bicycle for improving depression in children with Down Syndrome (DS). Seven participants completed 2x/week for 8 weeks, 30 minutes at a time of ACT, in which participants’ voluntary pedaling rates were augmented via the bicycle motor, ensuring that they were pedaling at a rate greater than their self-paced rate. Depression was measured using a modified version of the Children’s Depressive Inventory, called the CDI-2. Our study demonstrated that the scores from the CDI-2 decreased, demonstrating less depressive symptomatology after the conclusion of the 8 week intervention. Our results were interpreted via our model of the mechanisms involved in influencing the success of ACT. Future research would include a greater sample size, a more relevant measure of depressive scores, and a consistent data collection environment. However our initial pilot study showed promising results for improving mental health in children with DS.

According to the CDC, obesity has increased from 30.5% to 42.4% over the past 18 years. Western diets (WDs) consist of large portions in high fats, high carbohydrates, excess sugar and high-glycemic foods that can cause metabolic complications and mitochondrial dysfunction. Diet-induced obesity can lead to changes in muscle metabolism and muscle fiber phenotypes, which in turn lead to metabolic complications. Muscle fiber phenotype is determined protein isoform-content of myosin heavy chain (MHC). Regular exercise alters mitochondrial content and fat oxidation and shifts MHC proportions under healthy circumstances. However, diet and exercise-driven fiber type shifts in diet-induced obesity are less understood. We designed our experiment to better understand the impact of diet and/ or exercise on fiber type content of gastrocnemius muscle in diet-induced obese mice. Exercise and genistein may be used as a treatment strategy to restore the MHC proportions in obese subjects to that of the lean subjects. We hypothesized that genistein and exercise would have the greatest MHC I change in muscle fiber phenotype of mouse gastrocnemius muscles. Further, we also hypothesized that a standard diet would reverse the expected increase in fast fiber phenotype (MHC IIb). Lastly, we also hypothesized that exercise would also reduce the abundance of MHC IIb. Gastrocnemius muscles were collected from mice, homogenized, run through gel electrophoresis and stained to give muscle fiber proportions. Paired sample t-tests were conducted for differences between the MHC isoforms compared to the lean (LN) and high-fat diet (HFD) control groups. The results showed that genistein and exercise significantly increased the abundance of MHC I muscle fibers (19%, p<0.05). Additionally, diet and exercise restored the muscle fiber phenotype to that of lean control. As expected, HFD obese mice exhibited elevated fast twitch fibers compared to only 3% slow twitch fibers. These findings show the potential for exercise and supplementation of genistein as a strategy to combat diet induced obesity. Future research should aim to understand the mechanisms that genistein acts on to make these changes, and aim to replicate these data in humans with obesity.