Work

Acute Bouts of Aerobic Exercise Do Not Modulate Task-Evoked Midfrontal Theta Oscillations in School-Age Children

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: While acute aerobic exercise has been found to have a facilitative effect on task components with varied cognitive control demands in school-age children, its effects on specific neural processes evoked by a cognitive control task remain underexplored. The objective of the current study was to examine the effects of acute aerobic exercise on task-evoked midfrontal theta event-related synchronization (ERS)—which plays a crucial role in supporting cognitive control. Thirty-three preadolescent children were recruited into this within-subjects, crossover study. Participants engaged in an aerobic exercise condition and a seated rest condition in a counterbalanced order. After both conditions, participants completed a flanker task, with concurrent EEG data collection. The results revealed no differences in midfrontal theta ERS following acute aerobic exercise as compared with following the control condition. However, midfrontal theta ERS was higher during congruent trials relative to incongruent trials following control condition but not following aerobic exercise. Collectively, acute bouts of aerobic exercise do not appear to modulate the control and behavioral monitoring processes indexed by midfrontal theta ERS during cognitive control in children.

Source: Journal of Cognitive Enhancement

DOI: 10.1007/s41465-023-00281-y

Authors: Shu-Shih Hsieh, Shih-Chun Kao, Lauren B. Raine, Katherine M. Lloyd, Matthew B. Pontifex, Charles H. Hillman

Institutions: Kingston University London, Purdue University West Lafayette, Northeastern University, Michigan State University

Language: English

Topic: Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,890