Psychomotor speed in young adults with different level of physical activity (original) (raw)

Intensity, but not duration, of physical activities is related to cognitive function

European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation, 2007

Background Physical activity is thought to facilitate cognitive performance and to slow down the rate of age-related cognitive decline. This study aimed to investigate the association between the time spent on physical activity as well as the average intensity of these activities and cognitive function. Design Cross-sectional analysis. Methods Our study population comprised of 1927 healthy men and women aged 45-70 years in the Netherlands, examined from 1995 until 2000. Physical activity was assessed with an extensive questionnaire, and cognitive function by a neuropsychological test battery. Results Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that intensity of weekly physical activities is significantly positively associated with processing speed, memory, mental flexibility and overall cognitive function. No significant associations were observed between the time spent weekly on physical activities and the various cognitive domains. At the same time, variation in activities was significantly positively associated with speed, memory, mental flexibility and overall cognitive function.

Effect of physical activity on cognitive performance

2018

In recent years, research studying the effects of physical exercise on cognitive performance has experienced an exponential growth. This scientific interest has grown alongside with an increase of sedentary behaviour and physical inactivity, which has favoured not only the development of physical health problems but also mental health and cognitive performance issues. Regarding this frame of reference, four studies have been included in this PhD thesis. The first one will consist of a bibliographical review about the effects of the physical-sports activity practiced during childhood and adolescence on cognition in short, mid and long term. On the other hand, the second research aims to analyse the effects of different sports modality practices on academic performance from elite athletes, favouring the knowledge about if certain types of physical exercise have influence in ones academic areas or anothers. Thirdly, this thesis will evaluate the cognitive effects of the "Mind and movement" program, which will be conducted throughout an academic course by children aged 7 and 8, belonging to 20 schools from five European countries. Finally, in order to learn about the benefits of physical activity in special population, a final study will be conducted with children and adolescents from United Kingdom diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. It will investigate the relationship between the practice of physical-sports activity and certain cognitive variables such as the autism degree and social relations.

Reviewing on physical exercise and the cognitive function

2006

Exercise and physical training are known as promoters of several alterations, and among them, cardiorespiratory benefits, increase in the mineral bone density and decrease in the risk for chronic-degenerative diseases. Recently, another aspect has become notorious: an improvement in the cognitive function. Although it is very controversial, several studies have shown that physical exercises improve and protect the cerebral function, suggesting that physically active individuals present lower risk to develop mental disorders compared to sedentary individuals. This demonstrates that participating in physical exercise programs exerts benefits in the physical and psychological spheres, and it is probable that physically active individuals have a faster cognitive processing. Although the cognitive benefits of the physically active life-style seem to be related to the level of the regular physical activities, that is, exercises performed along the whole lifetime, suggesting a "cognitive reserve", it is never too late to start a physical exercise program. Thus, using physical exercises as an alternative to achieve an improvement in the cognitive function seems to be a aim to be attained mainly due to its applicability, since it is a relatively less expensive method that can be used by the major part of the population. Thus, the purpose of the present review is to discuss the associative aspects between physical exercises and the cognitive function, thus allowing to reflect on its use as an alternative and supportive element.

Effects of a Single Bout of Low and Moderate Intensity Aerobic Exercise on Cognitive Function in Young Adults

International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 2023

Regular exercise is proven to improve cognitive function. However, the effect of acute exercise on cognitive function in young adults has not been established, especially exercise intensity that provides the most benefit for cognitive performance. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effect of a single bout of low and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on cognitive function in young adults. Thirty volunteers (aged 21.08±0.41 years) were randomized into a control (n=10), low (n=10), or moderate (n=10) intensity aerobic exercise group. Stroop color and word test, digit span forward (DSF), and digit span backward test (DSB) were used to determine cognitive function at baseline and after exercise for both exercise groups, or after watching the video of aerobic exercise for the control group. After the intervention, all 3 parts of the Stoop color and word test were significantly improved from baseline in all 3 groups (p < 0.05) while only the moderate-intensity aerobic exercise group had significant improvement in DSF (p <0.05). In addition, part 1 and part 3 of the Stoop color and word test, and DSF were significantly improved in the moderate-intensity aerobic exercise group when compared with the control group (p<0.05). In conclusion, a single bout of exercise can improve cognitive function in young adults. In addition, the moderate-intensity aerobic exercise had greater improvement in cognitive function which was evaluated by Stroop color and word test, and DSF compared to the low-intensity exercise.

The Impact of Physical Activities on Cognitive Performance among Healthy Older Individuals

Brain Sciences

The population is aging in developed countries. This aging process results in many changes, both physical and mental. Over the years, there has been a gradual decline in the level of cognitive functions closely related to the ageing process, which is most often connected with ageing diseases such as dementia. So far, pharmacological treatment has not yet been able to cure this neurological disorder. Health policies around the world seek to find alternative programs and strategies to help a healthy population prevent cognitive decline and prolong active life. One such strategy appears to be physical activity. The aim of this review is to discuss the impact of physical activity on cognitive performance among healthy older individuals. The methodology of this study is based on a systematic electronic literature search of available studies found in three databases: PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. The findings suggest that any physical activity in older age seems to have a positive im...

Effect of exercise on cognition in healthy males. A comparative study

Cognition is an intellective action of understanding and gaining knowledge through speculation, acquaintance and practices that result in awareness, impression and perception. Cognition, Proprioception and balance all are aspects of ability of the brain to perform at high level at expense of endurance, speed and power. However, increasing age is linked with decrements in periodic memory. Thus, exercise positively impacts brain utility during middle age, particularly frontal lobe-mediated intellectual processes, like organization, programing, reticence and operational memory. The aim of the present study was to observe whether exercise improve cognitive skills or not. The study was conducted on 200 healthy male subjects equally divided in two groups: exercising males and non-exercising males. The subjects were asked to fill in a proforma consisting of visual test and a reading test, which aimed at comparative evaluation of the duration of short term memory between exercisers and non-exercisers. It was found that exercise impacts on frontal lobe to enhance intellectual processes and hippocampus memory processing.

Association between physical and motor fitness with cognitive performance in youths

Biology of Sport, 2018

Objectives The present study aimed to explore the association between physical fitness (PF) with cognitive performance in a sample of 19-24 year old males. Material and methods Two hundred and eleven young males (20.2 ±1.5 y) participated in the study. Cognitive functioning tasks including information processing speed and inhibitory control were measured in addition to PF and motor fitness components such as aerobic fitness, static strength, explosive strength, agility and speed. Results Regression analysis showed that after adjustment for potential confounders (e.g. age, socioeconomic status, adiposity and physical activity), aerobic fitness (represented by shorter time in one-mile run) was positively associated with composite inhibitory control scores (Standardized β= 0.17; P=0.04) and negatively associated with ∆ Simon (Standardized β=-0.21; P=0.04). Explosive strength was negatively associated with composite information processing scores (Standardized β=-0.24; P=0.01), and composite inhibitory control scores (Standardized β=-0.22; P=0.02). Speed of movement, agility and static strength were not associated with any of the cognitive tests. Conclusions In conclusion, aerobic fitness and explosive strength but not speed, agility and static strength might be indicators of underlying cognitive functioning tasks in 19-24 year old males.

Intense physical activity is associated with cognitive performance in the elderly

Translational Psychiatry, 2012

and the AIBL research group Numerous studies have reported positive impacts of physical activity on cognitive function. However, the majority of these studies have utilised physical activity questionnaires or surveys, thus results may have been influenced by reporting biases. Through the objective measurement of routine levels of physical activity via actigraphy, we report a significant association between intensity, but not volume, of physical activity and cognitive functioning. A cohort of 217 participants (aged 60-89 years) wore an actigraphy unit for 7 consecutive days and underwent comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. The cohort was stratified into tertiles based on physical activity intensity. Compared with individuals in the lowest tertile of physical activity intensity, those in the highest tertile scored 9%, 9%, 6% and 21% higher on the digit span, digit symbol, Rey Complex (RCFT) copy and Rey -min recall test, respectively. Statistically, participants in the highest tertile of physical activity intensity performed significantly better on the following cognitive tasks: digit symbol, RCFT copy and verbal fluency test (all Po0.05). The results indicate that intensity rather than quantity of physical activity may be more important in the association between physical activity and cognitive function.

Domain dependent associations between cognitive functioning and regular voluntary exercise behavior

Brain and cognition, 2015

Regular exercise has often been suggested to have beneficial effects on cognition, but empirical findings are mixed because of heterogeneity in sample composition (age and sex); the cognitive domain being investigated; the definition and reliability of exercise behavior measures; and study design (e.g., observational versus experimental). Our aim was to scrutinize the domain specificity of exercise effects on cognition, while controlling for the other sources of heterogeneity. In a population based sample consisting of 472 males and 668 females (aged 10-86years old) we administered the Computerized Neurocognitive Battery (CNB), which provided accuracy and speed measures of abstraction and mental flexibility, attention, working memory, memory (verbal, face, and spatial), language and nonverbal reasoning, spatial ability, emotion identification, emotion- and age differentiation, sensorimotor speed, and motor speed. Using univariate and multivariate regression models, CNB scores were a...