Associations Between Aerobic Fitness and Cognitive Control in Adolescents

Abstract

Previous research has found positive associations between cognitive control and aerobic fitness in preadolescents and adults; however, fewer studies have investigated these associations in adolescents. Adolescence is of particular interest due to continued maturation of the prefrontal cortex; an area that subserves cognitive control. This study investigated the associations of aerobic fitness and cognitive control in adolescents. An assessment of aerobic fitness (Andersen intermittent running test) and two tests of cognitive control were collected to investigate these associations. Participants completed a test of inhibitory control (flanker task) and a test of cognitive flexibility (switch task). Along with traditional measures of reaction time (RT) and accuracy, diffusion modeling was utilized to combine these measures to calculate latent variables (i.e., drift rate, boundary separation, and nondecision time). Associations between cognitive measures and fitness were assessed with linear regressions while controlling for potential confounding factors. Higher fitness was associated with shorter reaction time and higher accuracy in the flanker task, indicating better inhibitory control performance. In addition, greater aerobic fitness was associated with greater quality of information uptake in the flanker task, as indicated by drift rate. In the switch task, higher aerobic fitness was associated with greater accuracy and longer switch RT indicating a speed-accuracy tradeoff. Results from the switch task diffusion modeling supported this conclusion as indicated by greater fitness associated with greater boundary separation, or response conservativeness. Further, greater drift rate in the switch task was associated with greater fitness. These findings corroborate growing evidence indicating the importance of aerobic fitness for inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility. This study extends the literature by demonstrating these effects in a large sample of adolescents with a computational model of the mechanisms that underlie cognition.

Physical Fitness Level Is Related to Attention and Concentration in Adolescents

“…For the third objective, participants were classified into groups characterized by a higher and lower level of physical fitness and gender, getting better scores in selective attention and concentration those groups with a better level of physical fitness. Looking at data together, these data are in the same line with previous studies that had linked the level of physical fitness with improved cognitive functioning at these ages (Pontifex et al, 2011;Kao et al, 2017;Westfall et al, 2018) and specifically, those which had observed this phenomenon in selective attention and concentration (Trudeau and Shephard, 2008;Pérez-Lobato et al, 2016;Reloba-Martínez et al, 2017). Correlation and linear regression analyses have highlighted that maximum oxygen consumption is an essential variable to explain the relationship between physical confidence and cognitive functioning.…”

“…Physical fitness development is a sign of the impact that physical activity has on human body, which it also corresponds with better effects in the brain. Working on that researching line, authors such as Pontifex et al (2011), Kao et al (2017), Reloba-Martínez et al (2017) or Westfall et al (2018) have pointed out positive associations between physical fitness and cognitive functioning in children and adolescents, with aerobic capacity being the best predictor of these relationships. However, other manifestations of physical condition such as motor control or strength are being explored in recent years, and it has been observed that they can have a positive influence on brain development (Esteban-Cornejo et al, 2019).…”

Physical activity, aerobic fitness and brain white matter: their role for executive functions in adolescence

“…For instance, aerobic fitness has been associated with executive functions (e.g. Chaddock et al, 2010;Huang et al, 2015;Westfall et al, 2018), but not all studies have shown this association (e.g. de Greeff et al, 2016;Stroth et al, 2009).…”

Aerobik Kapasite ve Bilişsel Performans İlişkisi

“…2018 yılında yaptıkları çalışmada, 14-15 yaşlarındaki adölesanlarda daha yüksek aerobik kapasitenin daha iyi seçici dikkat ve bilişsel esneklik ile ilişkili olduğunu göstermiştir. Ayrıca bu çalışmada seçici dikkat ve bilişsel esneklik puanları difüzyon modeli uygulanarak, reaksiyon zamanı ve doğru yanıt sayısı ayrı ayrı değerlendirilmiştir (60).…”

“…Bir çalışmada hafif/orta/yoğun egzersiz ile bilişsel performans karşılaştırılmış, bilişsel esneklik kategori puanlarının egzersiz yoğunluğuyla anlamlı düzeyde arttığı gözlemlenmiştir (66). Yine başka bir çalışmada yüksek aerobik kapasitenin daha iyi bilişsel esneklik ile ilişkili olduğu sonucuna varılmıştır (60).…”