Habitual exercise is associated with cognitive control and cognitive reappraisal success

Abstract

Habitual exercise is associated with enhanced domain-general cognitive control, such as inhibitory control, selective attention, and working memory, all of which rely on the frontal cortex. However, whether regular exercise is associated with more specific aspects of cognitive control, such as the cognitive control of emotion, remains relatively unexplored. The present study employed a correlational design to determine whether level of habitual exercise was related to performance on the Stroop test measuring selective attention and response inhibition, the cognitive reappraisal task measuring cognitive reappraisal success, and associated changes in prefrontal cortex (PFC) oxygenation using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. 74 individuals (24 men, 50 women, age 18-32 years) participated. Higher habitual physical activity was associated with lower Stroop interference (indicating greater inhibitory control) and enhanced cognitive reappraisal success. Higher habitual exercise was also associated with lower oxygenated hemoglobin (OHb) in the PFC in response to emotional information. However, NIRS data indicated that exercise was not associated with cognitive control-associated OHb in the PFC. Behaviorally, the findings support and extend the previous findings that habitual exercise relates to more successful cognitive control of neutral information and cognitive reappraisal of emotional information. Future research should explore whether habitual exercise exerts causal benefits to cognitive control and PFC oxygenation, as well as isolate specific cognitive control processes sensitive to change through habitual exercise.

More habitual physical activity is linked to the use of specific, more adaptive cognitive reappraisal strategies in dealing with stressful events

“…Bernstein et al (2018) further suggested that exercise promotes greater emotional flexibility and thus enhanced adaptability when recuperating from stressful events. The only previous study on habitual physical activity and, specifically, cognitive reappraisal found a positive link between regular exercise and self-reported success in reappraising affective pictures (Giles et al, 2017). Given these promising links with more global and indirect indices of emotion regulation, the present study scrutinized the relationship between habitual physical activity and a specific index of stress coping by reappraisal: individuals' spontaneous capacity to generate alternative appraisals for potential stressors.…”

“…1 The required sample size was estimated a priori with G*Power (α = .05, 1−β = 0.80). Effect sizes observed in previous relevant research (f 2 =~.10; Giles et al, 2017;Lott & Jensen, 2016; F I G U R E 1 Conceptual model of the link between habitual physical activity and cognitive reappraisal capacity. The dashed frame indicates hypothesized constructs that are not directly assessed in the present study Shields et al, 2016) suggested a minimum of 81 participants.…”

“…Additionally, it was expected that (b) physical activity may correlate with the total quantity of cognitive reappraisal ideas, which would indicate a broader influence on cognitive reappraisal implementation (e.g., Giles et al, 2017). For a concise depiction of our conceptual model, please see Figure 1.…”

Improving Cognition via Exercise (ICE): Study Protocol for a Multi-Site, Parallel-Group, Single-Blind, Randomized Clinical Trial Examining the Efficacy of Aerobic Exercise to Improve Neurocognition, Daily Functioning, and Biomarkers of Cognitive Change in Individuals with Schizophrenia

“…Anxiety symptoms and alexithymia are measured using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) [121] and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) [122], respectively. Emotion regulation strategies are measured using the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) [123]; emotion regulation, which has been observed to change in response to exercise [124], is also impaired among individuals with SZ and may predict functioning [125]. We assess subjective well-being using the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) [126], which has been used in prior SZ studies [127].…”

Validación De Un Instrumento De Desarrollo Profesional en Educación Física Infantil

“…También el valor pedagógico de la Educación Física Infantil es de especial relevancia ya que promueve hábitos de vida saludable y activa mediante el desarrollo de movimientos motores básicos (Carson et al, 2015;Giles et al, 2017) y, además, debido a la conexión entre las capacidades cognitivas del infante y la actividad motora puesto que ambas capacidades progresan simultáneamente. En efecto, la Educación Física es el medio por el cual se pueden favorecer las funciones mentales (Davis et al, 2011) tales como la creatividad (Lupu, 2010), lo que la convierte en el medio más idóneo para propiciar y promover el desarrollo, evolución y adquisición de aprendizajes en Educación Infantil, mejorando el rendimiento académico (Shore et al, 2008).…”