Abstract
This study aimed to: (1) investigate the influence of a 2-weeks sprint interval training (SIT) program on aerobic capacity, cardiac autonomic control, and components of attention in young healthy university students; and (2) to ascertain whether training fidelity would influence these adaptations. One hundred and nine participants were divided into an experimental (EG) and control (CG) groups. The EG performed a SIT program that consisted of 6 sessions of 4 × 30 s “all-out” efforts on a cycle ergometer, interspersed with active rests of 4 min. The criterion for fidelity was achieving >90% of estimated maximum heart rate (HR) during sprint bouts. After analyses, the EG was divided into HIGH (n = 26) and LOW (n = 46) fidelity groups. Components of attention were assessed using the Attention Network Test (ANT). Aerobic capacity (VO2max) was estimated while the sum of skinfolds was determined. Autonomic control of HR was assessed by means of HR variability (HRV) and HR complexity at rest and during ANT. Both HIGH and LOW significantly increased aerobic capacity, vagal modulation before and during ANT, and executive control, and decreased body fatness after SIT (p < 0.05). However, only participants from HIGH showed an increase in HR complexity and accuracy in ANT when compared to LOW (p < 0.05). Two weeks of SIT improved executive control, body fatness, aerobic fitness, and autonomic control in university students with better results reported in those individuals who exhibited high fidelity.
Highlights
Attention is a cognitive process related to the capacity of focusing on an object or task, being fundamental for the selection and retention of stimuli and information that influence most human activities, from the simplest to the complex ones (Rueda et al, 2015)
Our results showed that only 2 weeks of sprint interval training (SIT) could be an effective technique to improve aerobic fitness and cardiac autonomic control, with potentially positive effects for enhancing executive control in healthy young adults
Young adults in the apex of their productive life could benefit from improvement of executive control, an important feature of daily cognitive activities
Summary
Attention is a cognitive process related to the capacity of focusing on an object or task, being fundamental for the selection and retention of stimuli and information that influence most human activities, from the simplest to the complex ones (Rueda et al, 2015). Aerobic capacity, have demonstrated to be effective for the improvement of cognitive function over the lifespan (Guiney and Machado, 2013). Previous studies have suggested that greater aerobic capacity is positively related to cognitive function, and to attention components, such as sustained attention and inhibitory control (Perez et al, 2014; Luque-Casado et al, 2016). It is still unknown what aerobic exercise or protocols could be more appropriated for the improvement of attention.
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