10. Research Questions
• What are the effects of a single bout of
exercise versus rest on cognition, in
healthy young adults with higher versus
lower fitness?
12. Experimental Design
• Two groups
– Self-identified college athletes
– Non athletes
• Exercise or Rest
– 30 min. stair climbing or resting
• Memory Recall Test
– 50 images
– Distractor Task
– Recall
13. Challenges:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Not able to control exercise intensity
Cognitive scores were low, REALLY low
No assessment of motivation
Appropriate cognitive test?
Unable to control weather-HOT day
Sports participation- indicative of fitness
level?
14. Background
• Aerobic exercise training is associated with
improvements in attention and processing speed,
executive function and memory in healthy adults.
(Smith, et. al. Aerobic exercise and neurocognitive performance: a meta-analytic review of randomized
controlled trials. Psychosom Med. 2010 April ; 72(3): 239–252. doi:10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181d14633.)
• But, few studies have been performed to elucidate
the mechanisms behind this correlation.
• Aerobic exercise training increases heart rate
variability (HRV) in healthy adults (> 18 yrs. of age). (SANDERCOCK,
G. R. H., P. D. BROMLEY, and D. A. BRODIE. Effects of Exercise on Heart Rate Variability: Inferences from
Meta-Analysis. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 37, No. 3, pp. 433–439, 2005.)
• Research suggests that high HRV is associated with
better performance on tasks involving executive
function (Hansen, Johnsen & Thayer. Vagal influence on working memory and attention.
International Journal of Psychophysiology 48 (2003) 263–274
15. Questions Remaining
• Variation due to exercise regimen
• Primarily concerned with retrospective
rather than prospective studies
• Few studies test the causal mechanism
• Usually use a single bout of exercise
• Cognitive testing within 30 minutes of
exercising
• Effects of acute vs. regular exercise?
• Effects different from anxiety?
16. Major Study Question: How does aerobic
exercise improve cognition?
• Does a single bout of aerobic exercise improve cognition in
both regular aerobic exercisers and sedentary controls?
– This question is important in determining whether the exerciseinduced improvement in cognition is primarily mediated through
improved awareness and vigilance (SNS activity) or is related to
a training effect associated with long-term aerobic exercise.
• Is the exercise induced improvement in cognitive function
dependent on changes in HRV?
– This question is designed as an initial step in resolving HOW
exercise improves cognition. Tests assumptions of the
neurovisceral hypothesis.
• Is the exercise induced improvement in cognitive
function dependent on changes in mood?
– Aerobic exercise training is associated with an exercise induced
increase in dopamine and post-exercise dopamine levels are
higher in regular exercisers versus controls.
17. Research Questions
• What are the effects of a single bout of
exercise versus rest on cognition,
autonomic function, stress and anxiety
in healthy young adults?
• What are the effects of a single bout of
exercise versus rest on cognition,
autonomic function, stress and anxiety
in healthy young adults with high
cardiovascular fitness compared to those
with low cardiovascular fitness?
20. Show the relationship of hypothalamus (part of the proposed CAN) in controlling activity in the
ANS (e.g. HRV)
21.
22. Experimental Design:
• Two groups
• Participants visit lab 3x with 1 wk. between visits 2, & 3
• First visit:
– VO2 max testing
• Second visit (no exercise 24 hrs. before testing):
– Mood, anxiety, stress and physical activity
questionnaire/surveys
– ECG (for HRV)
– Cognitive test
• Third visit (at least 2 hrs. post pre-determined exercise
bout)
– Mood, anxiety, stress and physical activity
questionnaire/survey
– ECG (for HRV)
– Cognitive test
