The broader purpose of this study was to examine the temporal effects of high-intensity exercise on learning, short-term and long-term retrospective memory and prospective memory. Among a sample of 88 young adult participants, 22 were randomized into one of four different groups: exercise before learning, control group, exercise during learning, and exercise after learning. The retrospective assessments (learning, short-term and long-term memory) were assessed using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test. Long-term memory including a 20-min and 24-hr follow-up assessment. Prospective memory was assessed using a time-based procedure by having participants contact (via phone) the researchers at a follow-up time period. The exercise stimulus included a 15-min bout of progressive maximal exertion treadmill exercise. High-intensity exercise prior to memory encoding (vs. exercise during memory encoding or consolidation) was effective in enhancing long-term memory (for both 20-min and 24-h follow-up assessments). We did not observe a differential temporal effect of high-intensity exercise on short-term memory (immediate post-memory encoding), learning or prospective memory. The timing of high-intensity exercise may play an important role in facilitating long-term memory.

Acute and chronic exercise appears to play a pronounced effect on memory function among young to middle-aged adults. Implications and recommendations for future research are outlined in this systematic review.

Engaging in a 15-minute bout of moderate-intensity walking before a learning task was effective in influencing long-term episodic memory.

Our previous work employing a between-subject randomized controlled trial design suggests that exercising prior to memory encoding is more advantageous in enhancing retrospective episodic memory function when compared to exercise occurring during or after memory encoding. The present experiment evaluates this potential temporal effect of acute exercise on memory function while employing a within-subject, counterbalanced design. In a counterbalanced order (via Latin squares), 24 participants completed four visits including (1) exercising (moderate-intensity walking) prior to memory encoding, (2) exercising during memory encoding, (3) exercising after memory encoding, and (4) a control visit (no exercise). Retrospective memory function (short term and long term; 24-hour follow-up) was assessed from a multitrial word list. Prospective memory was assessed from a time-based task. Compared to all other visits, short-term memory was greater in the visit that involved exercising prior to memory encoding (F = 3.76; P = .01; η= .79). Similar results occurred for long-term memory, with no significant effects for prospective memory performance. We provide robust evidence demonstrating that acute moderate-intensity exercise prior to memory encoding is optimal in enhancing short-term and long-term memory function when compared to no exercise as well as exercising during and after memory encoding.

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