No Change in Inhibitory Control or P3 Following Different High-Intensity Interval Exercise Modalities.

Eric S Drollette,Megan N Johnson,Caroline C Meadows

doi:10.3390/brainsci12020185

Eric S Drollette, Megan N Johnson + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12020185

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Abstract

Acute aerobic high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) has demonstrated positive effects on inhibitory control and P3 event-related potential (ERP) in young adults. However, the evidence is not well established regarding the effects of different HIIE modalities that incorporate aerobic-resistance training on these cognitive and neurocognitive outcomes. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the transient effects of HIIE-aerobic and HIIE-aerobic/resistance on P3 and Flanker task performance. Participants (n = 24; 18–25 years old) completed the Flanker task at two time points (30 min and 85 min) following 9 min of HIIE-aerobic (intermittent bouts of walking and running at 90% of maximal heart rate), HIIE-aerobic/resistance (intermittent bouts of walking and high-intensity calisthenics), and seated rest on three separate counterbalanced days. Results revealed no changes in Flanker performance (i.e., reaction time and response accuracy) or P3 (latency and mean amplitude) following either HIIE conditions compared to seated rest. Together, these data suggest inhibitory control and neuroelectric underpinnings are not affected by different modalities of HIIE at 30 min and 85 min post-exercise. Such findings reveal that engaging in short bouts of different HIIE modalities for overall health neither improves nor diminishes inhibitory control and brain function for an extended period throughout the day.

Highlights

Researchers have sought to establish a dose–response relation between parameters of acute exercise and cognitive outcomes, with the intent of providing a universal ‘prescription’ to achieve optimal cognitive benefits
The present study evaluated inhibitory control and P3 following different high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) conditions across an extended period
Regardless, future research should include a baseline measure to mitigate timing limitations, both for duration of the physical activity protocol and the timing of cognitive task performance. These data suggest that inhibitory control and neuroelectric underpinnings are not affected by different modalities of HIIE after 30 min

Summary

Introduction

Researchers have sought to establish a dose–response relation between parameters of acute exercise (i.e., intensity, mode and time) and cognitive outcomes, with the intent of providing a universal ‘prescription’ to achieve optimal cognitive benefits. Intensity may not be a sufficient or exclusive moderating factor to account for cognitive improvements following acute exercise. These comparable improvements at both high-intensity and low-intensity suggest that additional factors may be influential at different intensities. Recent research reveals greater cognitive benefits for different modalities (or types) of exercise including high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) compared to continuous aerobic exercise, low-intensity active stretching and seated rest [6,7,8,9,10,11], suggesting that exercise modality may be a contributing factor to cognitive benefits. Research suggests that short bouts of HIIE provide physiological health benefits comparable to bouts of continuous aerobic exercise of half the duration [14,15,16]

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