Dose-Response Association Between Acute Exercise Duration, Exercise Recovery and Cognitive Function

Previous studies have shown moderate intensity exercise to be a desired intensity level to optimize cognitive function, however, this research has mostly been conducted among older adults despite the claim that cognitive function may start to decline in the early years (i.e., 20s). Another research gap within this population is our limited understanding of the effects of different exercise durations and recovery periods on cognitive function. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of different exercise durations and recovery periods on cognition using a treadmill-based protocol. In a counterbalanced, cross-over randomized controlled design, 352 participants, ages 18-35, were placed into one of sixteen groups. Each participant visited the laboratory twice, with a one-week washout period between the two visits. Either visit one or two consisted of an acute bout of moderate-intensity treadmill exercise (10, 20, 30, 45, or 60 minutes) folloby a period of rest (5, 15, or 30 minutes) before taking a set of five cognitive function tests, while the other visit consisted of only completing the cognitive tests (no exercise). The cognitions assessed included multiple cognitive-related parameters including reasoning, concentration, memory, and attention. We did not observe strong evidence of an association between acute exercise and cognitive performance. Our findings did, however, suggest that short recovery period (i.e., 5 min recovery) may have a less favorable effect on planning-based cognition. Additionally, for various exercise durations and recovery periods, a group x time x baseline cognition interaction effect was observed. That is, for both memory and inhibitory-based cognition, acute exercise (vs. no exercise) had an enhanced effect on cognition only for those with lower baseline cognition. Our findings suggest that the length of the recovery period and baseline cognition status, in particular, may influence exercise-associated cognition.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S. in Health Promotion

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Health, Exercise Science, and Recreation Management

Year dc:date.available

2017

Author dc:creator

• Crush, Elizabeth Ann

Contributors dc:contributor

• Paul D. Loprinzi
• Ling Xin
• Jeremy P. Loenneke

• Cognition
• Executive Function
• Memory
• Physical Activity
• Medicine and Health Sciences

Repository record dc:identifier

https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/1306

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:egrove.olemiss.edu:etd-2305