Trial reportPloS one2016
The Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Neuroplasticity within the Motor Cortex following Stroke.
Trial report in PloS one, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 46 citations in OpenAlex.
- Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycling for Balance Rehabilitation in Stroke Survivors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Artificial organs · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation in modulating cortical excitability in patients with stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2022Pooled it
- Modulating Brain Excitability with Cardiovascular Exercise in Chronic Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Neurorehabilitation and neural repair · 2025Trial
- Moderate intensity aerobic exercise may enhance neuroplasticity of the contralesional hemisphere after stroke: a randomised controlled study.Scientific reports · 2023Trial
- Combining transcranial direct current stimulation with aerobic exercise to optimize cortical priming in stroke.Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme · 2021Trial
- PEMOCS: effects of a concept-guided, PErsonalized, MOtor-Cognitive exergame training on cognitive functions and gait in chronic Stroke-a randomized, controlled trial.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2025Article
- Measuring Neuroplasticity in Response to Cardiovascular Exercise in People With Stroke: A Critical Perspective.Neurorehabilitation and neural repair · 2024Article
- Mechanisms and benefits of cardiac rehabilitation in individuals with stroke: emerging role of its impact on improving cardiovascular and neurovascular health.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2024Review
- Corticostriatal Projections Relying on GABA Levels Mediate Exercise-Induced Functional Recovery in Cerebral Ischemic Mice.Molecular neurobiology · 2023Article
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- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Assess Exercise-Induced Neuroplasticity.Frontiers in neuroergonomics · 2021Review
- Impacts of Sleep Loss versus Waking Experience on Brain Plasticity: Parallel or Orthogonal?Trends in neurosciences · 2020Review
- A short bout of high-intensity exercise alters ipsilesional motor cortical excitability post-stroke.Topics in stroke rehabilitation · 2019Article
- Role of Rehabilitation in Neural Plasticity.Open access Macedonian journal of medical sciences · 2019Review
- Acute Effects of Assisted Cycling Therapy on Post-Stroke Motor Function: A Pilot Study.Rehabilitation research and practice · 2019Article
- A Bout of High Intensity Interval Training Lengthened Nerve Conduction Latency to the Non-exercised Affected Limb in Chronic Stroke.Frontiers in physiology · 2018Article
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Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAerobic exercise is associated with enhanced plasticity in the motor cortex of healthy individuals, but the effect of aerobic exercise on neuroplasticity following a stroke is unknown.
objectiveThe aim of this study was to compare corticomotoneuronal excitability and neuroplasticity in the upper limb cortical representation following a single session of low intensity lower limb cycling, or a rest control condition.
methodsWe recruited chronic stroke survivors to take part in three experimental conditions in a randomised, cross-over design. Corticomotoneuronal excitability was examined using transcranial magnetic stimulation to elicit motor evoked potentials in the affected first dorsal interosseus muscle. Following baseline measures, participants either cycled on a stationary bike at a low exercise intensity for 30 minutes, or remained resting in a seated position for 30 minutes. Neuroplasticity within the motor cortex was then examined using an intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) paradigm. During the third experimental condition, participants cycled for the 30 minutes but did not receive any iTBS.
resultsTwelve participants completed the study. We found no significant effect of aerobic exercise on corticomotoneuronal excitability when compared to the no exercise condition (P > 0.05 for all group and time comparisons). The use of iTBS did not induce a neuroplastic-like response in the motor cortex with or without the addition of aerobic exercise.
conclusionsOur results suggest that following a stroke, the brain may be less responsive to non-invasive brain stimulation paradigms that aim to induce short-term reorganisation, and aerobic exercise was unable to induce or improve this response.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.