Exergaming Improves Executive Functions in Patients With Metabolic Syndrome: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Shanshan Wu,Kyoung Im Cho,Eun-Ah Jo,Kyung-Hee Kim,Jung-Jun Park,Bo Hyun Kim,Hongqing Ji

doi:10.2196/13575

Abstract

BackgroundRecent studies indicate that participation in exercise-related games can improve executive function, attention processing, and visuospatial skills.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate whether exercise via exergaming (EXG) can improve executive function in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS).MethodsA total of 22 MetS patients were recruited and randomly assigned to an EXG group or a treadmill exercise (TE) group. The reaction time (RT) and electrophysiological signals from the frontal (Fz), central (Cz), and parietal (Pz) cortices were collected during a Stroop task after 12 weeks of exercise.ResultsDuring the Stroop congruence (facilitation) judgment task, both the EXG and TE groups showed significantly faster RT after 12 weeks of exercise training. For N200 amplitude, the EXG group demonstrated significantly increased electrophysiological signals from the Fz and Cz cortices. These changes were significantly larger in the EXG group than in the TE group. Separately, for the P300 amplitude, the EXG groups presented significantly increased electrophysiological signals from the Fz, Cz, and Pz cortices, whereas the TE group showed significantly increased electrophysiological signals from the Cz and Pz cortices only. During the Stroop incongruence (interference) judgment task, both the EXG and TE groups showed significantly faster RT. For P300 amplitude, the EXG group had significantly increased electrophysiological signals from the Fz and Cz cortices only, whereas the TE group had significantly increased electrophysiological signals from the Fz, Cz, and Pz cortices.ConclusionsEXG improves executive function in patients with MetS as much as normal aerobic exercise does. In particular, a unique benefit of EXG beyond increased aerobic capacity is the improved selective attention among cognitive functions. Thus, EXG could be recommended to someone who needs to improve their brain responses of concentration and judgment as well as physical fitness.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04015583; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04015583

Highlights

BackgroundIn recent years, the relationship between cognitive function and metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been widely studied [1,2]
Only EXG training improved congruent selective attention, whereas neither EXG nor treadmill exercise (TE) training affected incongruent selective attention. These results suggest similar overall effects for EXG and normal exercise on behavioral performance and executive function in patients with MetS but that EXG could be more effective than normal exercise for congruent selective attention
The consistent N200 amplitude was increased by EXG training. These findings suggest that, neither EXG nor normal exercise affected incongruent selective attention, EXG improved congruent selective attention, which suggested that EXG has a more beneficial effect on congruent selective attention compared with normal exercise

Summary

Introduction

BackgroundIn recent years, the relationship between cognitive function and metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been widely studied [1,2]. Research on cognitive neuroscience employs Stroop tasks to measure selective attention capacity and skills as well as process speed ability to elucidate the nature of executive functions [6]. Electroencephalographic (EEG) activity using event-related positioning technology has been widely used to measure selective attention capacity and skills, and evaluations of behavioral performance such as reaction time (RT) are commonly used to determine processing speed ability [7,8]. N200 negativity (200-350 milliseconds [ms] poststimulus) is an event-related potential (ERP) indicating the attentional capacity that is usually induced before motion response control and is related to the cognitive processes of stimulus recognition and differentiation [9]. Recent studies indicate that participation in exercise-related games can improve executive function, attention processing, and visuospatial skills

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