Effect of acute exercise and cardiovascular fitness on cognitive function: An event-related cortical desynchronization study

Yu Kai Chang*, Chien Heng Chu, Chun Chih Wang, Tai Fen Song, Gao Xia Wei

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

72 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study aimed to clarify the effects of acute exercise and cardiovascular fitness on cognitive function using the Stroop test and event-related desynchronization (ERD) in an aged population. Old adults (63.10±2.89 years) were first assigned to either a high-fitness or a low-fitness group, and they were then subjected to an acute exercise treatment and a reading control treatment in a counterbalanced order. Alpha ERD was recorded during the Stroop test, which was administered after both treatments. Acute exercise improved cognitive performance regardless of the level of cognition, and old adults with higher fitness levels received greater benefits from acute exercise. Additionally, acute exercise, rather than overall fitness, elicited greater lower and upper alpha ERDs relative to the control condition. These findings indirectly suggest that the beneficial effects of acute exercise on cognitive performance may result from exercise-induced attentional control observed during frontal neural excitation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)342-351
Number of pages10
JournalPsychophysiology
Volume52
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015 Mar 1
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Electroencephalography (EEG)
  • Event-related synchronization (ERS)
  • Executive function
  • Stroop test

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience
  • Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Neurology
  • Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Biological Psychiatry

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