Cognitive function during acute exercise: a test of the transient hypofrontality theory

The purpose of this study was to test the transient hypofrontality theory (Dietrich, 2003) by examining the influence of exercise intensity on executive control processes during and following submaximal exercise. Thirty participants (13 female) exercised for 30 min at ventilatory threshold (VT) or a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of sport & exercise psychology 2010-06, Vol.32 (3), p.312-323
Main Authors: Del Giorno, Jacqueline M, Hall, Eric E, O'Leary, Kevin C, Bixby, Walter R, Miller, Paul C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anaerobic Threshold - physiology
Arousal - physiology
Carbon Dioxide - blood
Cognition - physiology
Executive Function - physiology
Exercise - physiology
Female
Frontal Lobe - physiology
Humans
Male
Neuropsychological Tests
Oxygen - blood
Young Adult
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Summary:The purpose of this study was to test the transient hypofrontality theory (Dietrich, 2003) by examining the influence of exercise intensity on executive control processes during and following submaximal exercise. Thirty participants (13 female) exercised for 30 min at ventilatory threshold (VT) or at 75% of VT. The Contingent Continuous Performance Task (CPT) and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) were used as measures of executive control. They were administered before, during, immediately following, and 20 min after exercise. An increase in false alarms and unique errors (p < or = .05) occurred during both conditions. False alarms for the CPT and total and perseverative errors for the WCST remained elevated immediately following exercise at VT, but not at exercise below VT (p < or = .01). The decreased executive control function during exercise can be explained by the transient hypofrontality theory. Following VT, executive control performance remained poor possibly owing to an additional amount of time the brain needs to return to homeostasis following intense exercise.
ISSN:0895-2779
1543-2904
DOI:10.1123/jsep.32.3.312