High intensity intermittent games-based activity and adolescents’ cognition: moderating effect of physical fitness

Abstract

BackgroundAn acute bout of exercise elicits a beneficial effect on subsequent cognitive function in adolescents. The effect of games-based activity, an ecologically valid and attractive exercise model for young people, remains unknown; as does the moderating effect of fitness on the acute exercise-cognition relationship. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the effect of games-based activity on subsequent cognition in adolescents, and the moderating effect of fitness on this relationship.MethodsFollowing ethical approval, 39 adolescents (12.3 ± 0.7 year) completed an exercise and resting trial in a counterbalanced, randomised crossover design. During familiarisation, participants completed a multi-stage fitness test to predict VO2 peak. The exercise trial consisted of 60-min games-based activity (basketball), during which heart rate was 158 ± 11 beats∙min− 1. A battery of cognitive function tests (Stroop test, Sternberg paradigm, trail making and d2 tests) were completed 30-min before, immediately following and 45-min following the basketball.ResultsResponse times on the complex level of the Stroop test were enhanced both immediately (p = 0.021) and 45-min (p = 0.035) post-exercise, and response times on the five item level of the Sternberg paradigm were enhanced immediately post-exercise (p = 0.023). There were no effects on the time taken to complete the trail making test or any outcome of the d2 test. In particular, response times were enhanced in the fitter adolescents 45-min post-exercise on both levels of the Stroop test (simple, p = 0.005; complex, p = 0.040) and on the three item level of the Sternberg paradigm immediately (p = 0.017) and 45-min (p = 0.008) post-exercise.ConclusionsGames-based activity enhanced executive function and working memory scanning speed in adolescents, an effect particularly evident in fitter adolescents, whilst the high intensity intermittent nature of games-based activity may be too demanding for less fit children.

Physical Exercise, Fitness, Cognitive Functioning, and Psychosocial Variables in an Adolescent Sample

“…To this end, groups of adolescents have been compared according to the amount of weekly exercise carried out and measures of physical fitness have been related to the cognitive and psychosocial variables under study. The results found show relations between these variables, being more favorable for those participants who performed more physical exercise and that had better levels of physical fitness, which satisfies the research objective and is congruent with previous studies [6,7,26,30].…”

“…Specifically, there has been a notable increase in studies that have analyzed the link between physical exercise and cognitive functioning for this age group [6,7]. In the set of studies carried out, those that have highlighted positive relationships of physical exercise with cognitive abilities, such as attention and concentration, processing speed, cognitive functioning or language, stand out [7][8][9][10][11].…”

A before‐school physical activity intervention to improve cognitive parameters in children: The Active‐Start study

“…This moderation effect was observed in a recent study which suggests that game-based activities were particularly beneficial on attention capacity for adolescents with higher fitness levels. 37 Taken together, higher fit youths seem to receive the most benefits in attention capacity from the PA program in contrast to low-fit counterparts. Probably, PA was too physically demanding for the lower fit children which could be detrimental to their attention.…”

Self-Control and Exercise: A Review of the Bi-Directional Relationship

“…A substantial amount of literature suggests that an acute bout of exercise enhances self-control, as indicated by improved performance on the Stroop test (for review see [16]). This effect has been demonstrated across numerous populations, including young people at school [65], adults [66,67] and older adults [68,69]. These effects are of interest as enhanced Stroop test performance (reflecting enhanced self-control and, more broadly, executive function) is hypothesised to improve academic achievement in young people, workplace performance in adults, and assist with ameliorating the age-related decline typically seen in older adults.…”