Aerobic fitness relates to differential attentional but not language-related cognitive processes

•Word level language processing was not different between fitness groups.•Poorer aerobic fitness related to smaller P3b and LPC amplitude.•Fitness differences in N400 to sentences may reflect attentional modulation. Compelling evidence supports an association between the attribute of aerobic fitness...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain and language 2019-11, Vol.198, p.104681-104681, Article 104681
Main Authors: Chandler, Madison C., McGowan, Amanda L., Payne, Brennan R., Hampton Wray, Amanda, Pontifex, Matthew B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aerobic Fitness
Attention - physiology
Cognition
Cognition - physiology
Decision Making
Electroencephalography
ERPs
Event-related potentials
Evoked Potentials
Female
Humans
Language
Language processing
Language thought relationship
Lexical decision task
LPC
Male
N400
P3b
Physical fitness
Physical Fitness - psychology
Reading
Reading achievement
Task Performance and Analysis
Young Adult
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Summary:•Word level language processing was not different between fitness groups.•Poorer aerobic fitness related to smaller P3b and LPC amplitude.•Fitness differences in N400 to sentences may reflect attentional modulation. Compelling evidence supports an association between the attribute of aerobic fitness and achievement scores on standardized tests of reading. However, such standardized assessments provide only a broad valuation of a complex network of language related sub-processes that contribute to reading and are heavily confounded by other attention-related processes. The present investigation sought to clarify the nature of the association between aerobic fitness and language processing in a sample of college-aged adults. Participants were bifurcated based on aerobic fitness level and on a separate day were asked to complete a lexical decision task while neuroelectric activity was recorded. Analysis of word-level language-related ERP components revealed no fitness differences. However, lower aerobically-fit individuals elicited smaller amplitude for attention-related ERP components relative to the higher aerobically-fit group. These data provide initial evidence to suggest that fitness-related differences in reading achievement may result from attentional processes rather than acting upon specific language-related processes.
ISSN:0093-934X
1090-2155
DOI:10.1016/j.bandl.2019.104681