Biology subjects

Cheval, B.

Publications and source records attributed to Cheval, B..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Neural correlates of approach and avoidance tendencies toward physical activity and sedentary stimuli: An fMRI study

Automatic tendencies toward physical activity and sedentary stimuli are involved in the regulation of physical activity behavior. However, the brain regions underlying these automatic tendencies remain largely unknown. Here, we used an approach-avoidance task and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 42 healthy young adults to investigate whether cortical and subcortical brain regions underpinning reward processing and executive function are associated with these tendencies. At the behavioral level, results showed more errors in avoidance behavior following sedentary stimuli than physical activity stimuli. At the brain level, avoidance behavior following sedentary stimuli was associated with more activation of the motor control network (dorsolateral-prefrontal cortex, primary and secondary motor cortices, somatosensory cortex). In addition, increased activation of the bilateral parahippocampal gyrus -- and structural deformation of the right hippocampus - were associated with a tendency toward approaching sedentary stimuli. Together, these results suggest that avoiding sedentary stimuli requires higher levels of behavioral control than avoiding physical activity stimuli.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2021

Paper-and-pencil questionnaires analysis: a new automated technique to reduce analysis time and errors.

Background and ObjectiveQuestionnaires are essential tools in many scientific fields, including health and medicine. However, the analysis of paper-and-pencil questionnaires is time consuming, source of errors and expensive, limiting its use in large cohort studies. Computer-based questionnaires might be a valuable alternative but they may introduce bias, especially for sensitive questions, and they require programming skills. The aim of this study is to develop a reliable and adaptable open-source technique (i.e. LightQuest) to automatically analyse various types of scanned paper-and-pencil questionnaires with closed questions, including those with inverted scale. MethodsTo evaluate the usefulness of LightQuest, the time needed for 7 experimenters for manually code 10 sets of 4 frequently used questionnaires and the number of errors (i.e. reliability) were compared with the time and errors their made using LightQuest. ResultsLightQuest was twice as fast as the manual analysis, even though the time to create the reference model was taken into account (933s vs. 1935s, t(2)=8.81, p<0.001). Without model creation, the reduced analysis time was more pronounced, with an average of 2.77s.question-1 for the manual technique versus 0.55s.question-1 for LightQuest (t(2)=22.5, p<0.001). Moreover, during correction of the 5180 questions performed by the 7 experimenters, LightQuest made a total of 2 errors versus 46 with the manual technique (q(2)=4.53, p<0.05). ConclusionLightQuest demonstrated clear superiority both in terms of time and reliability. The script of this first open-source technique, which does not require programming skills, is downloadable in supplemental data and may become an asset for all studies using questionnaires.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2020

Physical activity and general cognitive functioning: A Mendelian Randomization study

Physical activity and cognitive functioning are strongly intertwined. However, the causal relationships underlying this association are still unclear. Physical activity can enhance brain functions, but healthy cognition may also promote engagement in physical activity. Here, we assessed the bidirectional relationships between physical activity and general cognitive functioning using Latent Heritable Confounder Mendelian Randomization (LHC-MR). Association data were drawn from two large-scale genome-wide association studies (UK Biobank and COGENT) on accelerometer-measured moderate, vigorous, and average physical activity (N = 91,084) and cognitive functioning (N = 257,841). After Bonferroni correction, we observed significant LHC-MR associations suggesting that increased fraction of both moderate (b = 0.32, CI95% = [0.17,0.47], P = 2.89e-05) and vigorous physical activity (b = 0.22, CI95% = [0.06,0.37], P = 0.007) lead to increased cognitive functioning. In contrast, we found no evidence of a causal effect of average physical activity on cognitive functioning, and no evidence of a reverse causal effect (cognitive functioning on any physical activity measures). These findings provide new evidence supporting a beneficial role of moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on cognitive functioning.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2018

Avoiding sedentary behaviors requires more cortical resources than avoiding physical activity: An EEG study

HighlightsO_LIIndividuals are slower at approaching sedentary than physical activity stimuli\nC_LIO_LIIndividuals are quicker at avoiding sedentary than physical activity stimuli\nC_LIO_LIThese effects are particularly pronounced in physically active individuals\nC_LIO_LIAvoiding sedentary behaviors is associated with high levels of conflict monitoring and inhibition\nC_LIO_LIAdditional brain resources are required to escape a general attraction toward sedentary behaviors\nC_LI\n\nAbstractWhy do individuals fail to exercise regularly despite knowledge of the risks associated with physical inactivity? Automatic processes regulating exercise behaviors may partly explain this paradox. Yet, these processes have only been investigated with behavioral paradigms based on reaction times. Here, using electroencephalography, we investigated the cortical activity underlying automatic approach and avoidance tendencies toward stimuli depicting physical activity and sedentary behaviors in 29 young adults who were physically active (n=14) or physically inactive but with the intention of becoming physically active (n=15). Behavioral results showed faster reactions when approaching physical activity compared to sedentary behaviors and when avoiding sedentary behaviors compared to physical activity. These faster reactions were more pronounced in physically active individuals and were associated with changes during sensory integration (earlier onset latency and larger positive deflection of the stimulus-locked lateralized readiness potentials) but not during motor preparation (no effect on the response-locked lateralized readiness potentials). Faster reactions when avoiding sedentary behaviors compared to physical activity were also associated with higher conflict monitoring (larger early and late N1 event-related potentials) and higher inhibition (larger N2 event-related potentials), irrespective of the usual level of physical activity. These results suggest that additional cortical resources were required to counteract an attraction to sedentary behaviors. Data and Materials [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1169140].

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2017

Reward and automatic processes in exercise behavior: A new approach and a systematic review

BackgroundIn a time of physical inactivity pandemic, attempts to better understand the factors underlying the regulation of exercise behavior is important. The dominant neuropsychological approach to exercise behavior explains physical activity as a reward. However, the opposite of physical exertion -- behaviors minimizing energy cost -- may also be a reward, which activates automatic reactions favoring the engagement in behaviors associated with lower energetic costs.\n\nObjectiveOur objective was to systematically review studies testing the automatic reactions triggered by stimuli associated with different types of exercise behavior (e.g., physical activity, sedentary behaviors) and energetic cost variations (e.g., behaviors minimizing energetic cost).\n\nMethodsTwo authors systematically searched, screened, extracted, and analyzed data from articles in the MEDLINE database.\n\nResultsWe included 26 studies. Three types of automatic processes were tested: Affective reactions, attentional capture, and approach tendencies. Results show that automatic reactions toward stimuli depicting exercise behaviors explained individuals level of physical activity. Brain imaging results show that stimuli associated with exercise behavior activate regions associated with reward, but these studies were scarce.\n\nConclusionReward is an important factor of exercise behavior. There is strong evidence showing that physical activity is a reward. While brain imaging results suggest that sedentary behaviors are also a reward, behaviors minimizing energetic cost have not been investigated so far. Additional studies are required to establish a strong and complete framework of reward in exercise behavior.\n\nKey points- Behavioral and brain imaging studies using different types of automatic behavior show that physical activity is a reward\n- Behaviors minimizing energetic cost have been essential to evolutionary survival and are likely to be a reward. However, experimental evidence remains scarce\n- The dominant neuropsychological approaches to exercise behavior may be incomplete, which may partly explain our current inability to counteract the pandemic of physical inactivity

neuroscience↗