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Intensity-Dependent Effects of Acute Exercise on Executive Function.

ABSTRACT: Numerous studies suggest beneficial effects of aerobic exercise at moderate intensity on cognition, while the effects of high-intensity exercise are less clear. This study investigated the acute effects of exercise at moderate and high intensities on executive functions in healthy adults, including functional MRI to examine the underlying neural mechanisms. Furthermore, the association between exercise effects and cardiorespiratory fitness was examined. 64 participants performed in two executive function tasks (flanker and Go/No-go tasks), while functional MR images were collected, following two conditions: in the exercise condition, they cycled on an ergometer at either moderate or high intensity (each n = 32); in the control condition, they watched a movie. Differences in behavioral performance and brain activation between the two conditions were compared between groups. Further, correlations between cardiorespiratory fitness and exercise effects on neural and behavioral correlates of executive performance were calculated. Moderate exercise compared to high-intensity exercise was associated with a tendency towards improved behavioral performance (sensitivity index d') in the Go/No-go task and increased brain activation during hit trials in areas related to executive function, attention, and motor processes (insula, superior frontal gyrus, precentral gyrus, and supplementary motor area). Exercise at high intensity was associated with decreased brain activation in those areas and no changes in behavioral performance. Exercise had no effect on brain activation in the flanker task, but an explorative analysis revealed that reaction times improved after high-intensity exercise. Higher cardiorespiratory fitness was correlated with increased brain activation after moderate exercise and decreased brain activation after high-intensity exercise. These data show that exercise at moderate vs. high intensity has different effects on executive task performance and related brain activation changes as measured by fMRI and that cardiorespiratory fitness might be a moderating factor of acute exercise effects. Thus, our results may contribute to further clarify the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of exercise on cognition.

SUBMITTER: Mehren A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6589258 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Intensity-Dependent Effects of Acute Exercise on Executive Function.

Mehren Aylin A Diaz Luque Cecilia C Brandes Mirko M Lam Alexandra P AP Thiel Christiane M CM Philipsen Alexandra A Özyurt Jale J

Neural plasticity 20190604

Numerous studies suggest beneficial effects of aerobic exercise at moderate intensity on cognition, while the effects of high-intensity exercise are less clear. This study investigated the acute effects of exercise at moderate and high intensities on executive functions in healthy adults, including functional MRI to examine the underlying neural mechanisms. Furthermore, the association between exercise effects and cardiorespiratory fitness was examined. 64 participants performed in two executive ...[more]

PMID: 31281346

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Project description:Background:The present experiments evaluated the effects of acute high-intensity resistance exercise on episodic memory. Methods:Two experiments were conducted. For Experiment 1, participants (N = 40; Mage = 21.0 years) were randomized into one of two groups, including an experimental exercise group and a control group (seated for 20 min). The experimental group engaged in an acute bout of resistance exercises (circuit style exercises) for 15 minutes, followed by a 5-min recovery period. Memory function was subsequently assessed using a multiple trial (immediate and delay), word-list episodic memory task (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, RAVLT), and then followed by a comprehensive, computerized assessment of episodic memory (Treasure Hunt task, THT). The THT involved a spatio-temporal assessment of what, where, and when components of episodic memory. Experiment 2 evaluated if altering the recovery period would influence the potential negative effects of high-intensity resistance exercise on episodic memory function. For Experiment 2, participants (N = 51) were randomized into the same acute resistance exercise protocol but either with a 10-min recovery period, 20-min recovery period, or a control group. Results:For Experiment 1, for RAVLT, the exercise group performed worse (Fgroup × time = 3.7, p = .001, ? 2p = .09). Across nearly all THT outcomes, the exercise group had worse spatio-temporal memory than the control group. These results suggest that high-intensity resistance exercise (with a 5-min recovery) may have a detrimental effect on episodic memory function. For Experiment 2, for RAVLT, the exercise with 10-min recovery group performed better (Fgroup × time = 3.1, p = .04, ? 2p = .11). Unlike Experiment 1, exercise did not impair spatio-temporal memory, with the 20-min exercise recovery group having the best "where" component of episodic memory. Conclusion:Collectively, the results from these two experiments suggest that acute high-intensity resistance exercise may impair episodic memory when a short exercise recovery period (e.g., 5-min) is employed, but with a longer recovery period (10+ min), acute high-intensity resistance exercise may, potentially, enhance episodic memory.

Project description:Background. Exercise intensity can influence functional recovery after stroke, but the mechanisms remain poorly understood. Objective. In chronic stroke, an intensity-dependent increase in circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was previously found during vigorous exercise. Using the same serum samples, this study tested acute effects of exercise intensity on other circulating molecules related to neuroplasticity, including vascular-endothelial growth factor (VEGF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1), and cortisol, with some updated analyses involving BDNF. Methods. Using a repeated-measures design, 16 participants with chronic stroke performed 3 exercise protocols in random order: treadmill high-intensity interval training (HIT-treadmill), seated-stepper HIT (HIT-stepper), and treadmill moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MCT-treadmill). Serum molecular changes were compared between protocols. Mediation and effect modification analyses were also performed. Results. VEGF significantly increased during HIT-treadmill, IGF1 increased during both HIT protocols and cortisol nonsignificantly decreased during each protocol. VEGF response was significantly greater for HIT-treadmill versus MCT-treadmill when controlling for baseline. Blood lactate positively mediated the effect of HIT on BDNF and cortisol. Peak treadmill speed positively mediated effects on BDNF and VEGF. Participants with comfortable gait speed ?0.4 m/s had significantly lower VEGF and higher IGF1 responses, with a lower cortisol response during MCT-treadmill. Conclusions. BDNF and VEGF are promising serum molecules to include in future studies testing intensity-dependent mechanisms of exercise on neurologic recovery. Fast training speed and anaerobic intensity appear to be critical ingredients for eliciting these molecular responses. Serum molecular response differences between gait speed subgroups provide a possible biologic basis for previously observed differences in training responsiveness.

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Intensity-Dependent Effects of Acute Exercise on Executive Function.

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Intensity-Dependent Effects of Acute Exercise on Executive Function.

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