Acute Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Cortisol and Working Memory in Physical Education College Students.

Inmaculada C Martínez-Díaz,Luis Carrasco,María C Escobar-Muñoz

doi:10.3390/ijerph17218216

Abstract

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is considered one of the most effective methods for improving cardiorespiratory and metabolic functions. However, it is necessary to clarify their effects on neurophysiological responses and coginitive functioning. Thus, this study aimed to determine the effects of an acute bout of HIIT on neurocognitive and stress-related biomarkers and their association with working memory (WM) capacity in healthy young adults. Twenty-five male college students performed a single bout of HIIT consisting of 10 × 1 min of cycling at their VO2 peak power output. Plasma Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and cortisol (CORT) levels, and WM (Digit Span Test (DST)), were assessed pre-, post- and 30 min post-intervention. Significant post-exercise increases in circulating BDNF and CORT levels were observed coinciding with the highest DST performance; however, no statistical associations were found between cognitive and neurophysiological variables. Moreover, DST scores obtained 30 min after exercise remained higher than those assessed at pre-exercise. In conclusion, the stress induced by a single bout of HIIT induces a remarkable response of BDNF and CORT boosting WM capacity in healthy young males. Future research should clarify the association between cognitive and neurobiological markers during intense exercise stimulation.

Highlights

High-intensity interval training (HIIT), which involves alternating bouts of intensive exercise with low-intensity or passive recovery periods [1,2], has been considered one of the most effective methods for improving cardiorespiratory and metabolic functions [3]
The HIIT-based intervention induced a remarkable response of BNDF and CORT, improving working memory (WM) capacity
Contrary to inverse–U theory and other studies which conclude that physical exercise can not be understood as a stimulus for WM [25], we demonstrated that HIIT can improve WM capacity in healthy young adults independently of the CORT response to intense exercise

Summary

Introduction

High-intensity interval training (HIIT), which involves alternating bouts of intensive exercise with low-intensity or passive recovery periods [1,2], has been considered one of the most effective methods for improving cardiorespiratory and metabolic functions [3]. The use of HIIT to enhance health-related outcomes has recently generated new interest [4,5]. Little information about the effects of HIIT on mental health and other related-psychological outcomes exists [6,7]. Several investigations have focused on the effects of HIIT on brain function, but their results are sometimes uncertain and contradictory [8,9,10,11,12]. The current evidence showed a positive impact of HIIT on the brain, in neurotrophin expression and function [13]. It is known that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein of 252 amino acids, plays a key role to maintain or improve several brain functions such as neuronal protection and survival, neurite expression, axonal and dendritic growth and remodelling, neuronal differentiation and synaptic plasticity [14]. The response of BDNF to acute exercise has been investigated by several authors using different exercise protocols and reporting different results

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