Improvement of Processing Speed in Executive Function Immediately following an Increase in Cardiovascular Activity

This study aims to identify the acute effects of physical exercise on specific cognitive functions immediately following an increase in cardiovascular activity. Stair-climbing exercise is used to increase the cardiovascular output of human subjects. The color-naming Stroop Test was used to identify the cognitive improvements in executive function with respect to processing speed and error rate. The study compared the Stroop results before and immediately after exercise and before and after nonexercise, as a control. The results show that there is a significant increase in processing speed and a reduction in errors immediately after less than 30 min of aerobic exercise. The improvements are greater for the incongruent than for the congruent color tests. This suggests that physical exercise induces a better performance in a task that requires resolving conflict (or interference) than a task that does not. There is no significant improvement for the nonexercise control trials. This demonstrates that an increase in cardiovascular activity has significant acute effects on improving the executive function that requires conflict resolution (for the incongruent color tests) immediately following aerobic exercise more than similar executive functions that do not require conflict resolution or involve the attention-inhibition process (for the congruent color tests).

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The Effects of Aerobic Exercise and Gaming on Cognitive Performance

Journal of Human Kinetics ◽

10.1515/hukin-2017-0134 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 61 (1) ◽

pp. 73-83 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Peter C. Douris ◽

John P. Handrakis ◽

Demitra Apergis ◽

Robert B. Mangus ◽

Rima Patel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Selective Attention ◽

Aerobic Exercise ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Processing Speed ◽

Video Gaming ◽

Mixed Design ◽

Attentional Capacity ◽

Capacity Limits ◽

B Test

AbstractThe purpose of our study was to investigate the effects of video gaming, aerobic exercise (biking), and the combination of these two activities on the domains of cognitive performance: selective attention, processing speed, and executive functioning. The study was a randomized clinical trial with 40 subjects (mean age 23.7 ± 1.8 years) randomized to one of four thirty-minute conditions: video gaming, biking, simultaneous gaming and biking, and a control condition. Cognitive performance was measured pre and post condition using the Stroop test and Trails B test. A mixed design was utilized. While video gaming, biking, simultaneous gaming and biking conditions improved selective attention and processing speed (p < 0.05), only the bike condition improved the highest order of cognitive performance, executive function (p < 0.01). There were no changes in cognitive performance for the control condition. Previous studies have shown that if tasks approach the limits of attentional capacity there is an increase in the overall chance for errors, known as the dual-task deficit. Simultaneous biking and gaming may have surpassed attentional capacity limits, ultimately increasing errors during the executive function tests of our cognitive performance battery. The results suggest that the fatiguing effects of a combined physically and mentally challenging task that extends after the exercise cessation may overcome the eventual beneficial cognitive effects derived from the physical exercise.

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Acute Effects of Different Exercise Intensities on Executive Function and Oculomotor Performance in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Moderate-Intensity Continuous Exercise vs. High-Intensity Interval Exercise

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnagi.2021.743479 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

Author(s):

Chia-Liang Tsai ◽

Yu-Chuan Chang ◽

Chien-Yu Pan ◽

Tsai-Chiao Wang ◽

Jozef Ukropec ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Executive Function ◽

Aerobic Exercise ◽

Moderate Intensity ◽

Acute Effects ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Interval Exercise ◽

Continuous Exercise ◽

Single Bout ◽

High Intensity Interval

A wealth of evidence has shown that a single bout of aerobic exercise can facilitate executive function. However, none of current studies on this topic have addressed whether the magnitude of the acute-exercise benefit on executive function and oculomotor performance is influenced by different aerobic exercise modes. The present study was thus aimed toward an investigation of the acute effects of high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) vs. moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) on executive-related oculomotor performance in healthy late middle-aged and older adults. Using a within-subject design, twenty-two participants completed a single bout of 30 min of HIIE, MICE, or a non-exercise-intervention (REST) session in a counterbalanced order. The behavioral [e.g., reaction times (RTs), coefficient of variation (CV) of the RT], and oculomotor (e.g., saccade amplitude, saccade latency, and saccadic peak velocity) indices were measured when participants performed antisaccade and prosaccade tasks prior to and after an intervention mode. The results showed that a 30-min single-bout of HIIE and MICE interventions shortened the RTs in the antisaccade task, with the null effect on the CV of the RT in the late middle-aged and older adults. In terms of oculomotor metrics, although the two exercise modes could not modify the performance in terms of saccade amplitudes and saccade latencies, the participants’ saccadic peak velocities while performing the oculomotor paradigm were significantly altered only following an acute HIIE intervention. The present findings suggested that a 30-min single-bout of HIIE and MICE interventions modulated post-exercise antisaccade control on behavioral performance (e.g., RTs). Nevertheless, the HIIE relative MICE mode appears to be a more effective aerobic exercise in terms of oculomotor control (e.g., saccadic peak velocities) in late middle-aged and older adults.

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Acute Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Executive Function and Attention in Adult Patients With ADHD

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00132 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Aylin Mehren ◽

Jale Özyurt ◽

Alexandra P. Lam ◽

Mirko Brandes ◽

Helge H. O. Müller ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Aerobic Exercise ◽

Adult Patients ◽

Acute Effects

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Acute effects of moderate aerobic exercise on specific aspects of executive function in different age and fitness groups: A meta-analysis

Psychophysiology ◽

10.1111/psyp.12736 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 53 (11) ◽

pp. 1611-1626 ◽

Cited By ~ 155

Author(s):

Sebastian Ludyga ◽

Markus Gerber ◽

Serge Brand ◽

Edith Holsboer-Trachsler ◽

Uwe Pühse

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Aerobic Exercise ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Acute Effects

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Absolute and relative reliability of acute effects of aerobic exercise on executive function in seniors

BMC Geriatrics ◽

10.1186/s12877-017-0634-x ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Lars Donath ◽

Sebastian Ludyga ◽

Daniel Hammes ◽

Anja Rossmeissl ◽

Nadin Andergassen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Aerobic Exercise ◽

Acute Effects ◽

Relative Reliability

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An Analysis on Motor ability Related Variables of Young Children: conflict resolution ability, hot executive function and drawing representation ability

Korean Association For Learner-Centered Curriculum And Instruction ◽

10.22251/jlcci.2020.20.19.41 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (19) ◽

pp. 41-63

Author(s):

Ga-Hye Min ◽

Ji-Eun Kim ◽

Gyu-Seung Yeon

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Conflict Resolution ◽

Young Children ◽

Motor Ability

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Slow Wave Sleep and EEG Delta Spectral Power are Associated with Cognitive Function in Parkinson’s Disease

Journal of Parkinson s Disease ◽

10.3233/jpd-202215 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Kimberly H. Wood ◽

Adeel A. Memon ◽

Raima A. Memon ◽

Allen Joop ◽

Jennifer Pilkington ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Slow Wave ◽

Effect Size ◽

Processing Speed ◽

Slow Wave Sleep ◽

Spectral Power ◽

Z Scores ◽

Domain Scores

Background: Cognitive and sleep dysfunction are common non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Objective: Determine the relationship between slow wave sleep (SWS) and cognitive performance in PD. Methods: Thirty-two PD participants were evaluated with polysomnography and a comprehensive level II neurocognitive battery, as defined by the Movement Disorders Society Task Force for diagnosis of PD-mild cognitive impairment. Raw scores for each test were transformed into z-scores using normative data. Z-scores were averaged to obtain domain scores, and domain scores were averaged to determine the Composite Cognitive Score (CCS), the primary outcome. Participants were grouped by percent of SWS into High SWS and Low SWS groups and compared on CCS and other outcomes using 2-sided t-tests or Mann-Whitney U. Correlations of cognitive outcomes with sleep architecture and EEG spectral power were performed. Results: Participants in the High SWS group demonstrated better global cognitive function (CCS) (p = 0.01, effect size: r = 0.45). In exploratory analyses, the High SWS group showed better performance in domains of executive function (effect size: Cohen’s d = 1.05), language (d = 0.95), and processing speed (d = 1.12). Percentage of SWS was correlated with global cognition and executive function, language, and processing speed. Frontal EEG delta power during N3 was correlated with the CCS and executive function. Cognition was not correlated with subjective sleep quality. Conclusion: Increased SWS and higher delta spectral power are associated with better cognitive performance in PD. This demonstrates the significant relationship between sleep and cognitive function and suggests that interventions to improve sleep might improve cognition in individuals with PD.

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