The Effects of Single-Bout Exercise Interventions with Different Exercise Modalities on Executive Function in Youths.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate how single-bout open-skill exercise (OSE), closed-skill exercise (CSE), and mixed-skill exercise intervention (MSE) influence executive function. A total of 120 students aged between 18 and 25 were separated into three groups: closed-skill exercise, open-skill exercise, and mixed-skill exercise. A task-switching test was performed before and after a single bout of exercise intervention. The simple reaction time, choice reaction time, switch cost, and correction rate were tested in a task-switching test. The results were analyzed via a two-way analysis of variance, with a significance level of α = 0.05, to compare the effects of the intervention. Only open-skill exercise exhibited a significant effect on the simple reaction time (p < 0.05). In terms of choice reaction time and switch cost, all three intervention groups exhibited significant improvements, with no significant differences observed between the three groups (p < 0.05). The correction rate did not show a significant effect post-intervention, and no significant differences were observed between the groups. The correction rate showed no significant effect after the intervention or between groups. All three types of exercise can shorten choice reaction time and switch cost, but only OSE can reduce simple reaction time.