Effects of acute exercise at different intensities on fine motor‐cognitive dual‐task performance while walking: A functional near‐infrared spectroscopy study. (2nd May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Park, Soo‐Yong; Reinl, Maren; Schott, Nadja
• Editors: Solis‐Escalante, Teodoro
• Other Names: De Sanctis Pierfilippo guestEditor.; Solis-Escalante Teodoro guestEditor.; Seeber Martin guestEditor.; Wagner Johanna guestEditor.; P.Ferris Daniel guestEditor.; Gramann Klaus guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: European journal of neuroscience. Volume 54:Number 12(2021)
• Page Start: 8225
• Page End: 8248
• Publication Date: 2021-05-02
• Subjects: digital Trail‐Making‐Test (dTMT) -- fine‐motor control -- motor cortex -- prefrontal cortex -- running; Nervous system -- Periodicals; 612.8
• DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15241
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0953-816X

Abstract

Abstract: Studies on the effects of acute exercises on cognitive functions vary greatly and depend on the duration and intensity of exercise and the type of cognitive tasks. This study aimed to investigate the neural correlates that underpin the acute effects of high‐intensity interval (HIIE) versus moderate‐intensity continuous exercise (MCE) on fine motor‐cognitive performance while walking (dual‐task, DT) in healthy young adults. Twenty‐nine healthy right‐handers (mean age: 25.1 years ± 4.04; 7 female) performed the digital trail‐making‐test (dTMT) while walking (5 km/h) before and after acute exercise. During task performance, the hemodynamic activation of the frontopolar area (FPA), dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPFC), and motor cortex (M1) was recorded using functional near‐infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Both HIIE and MCE resulted in improved dTMT performance, as reflected by an increase in the number of completed circles and a reduction in the time within and between circuits (reflecting improvements in working memory, inhibition, and decision making). Notably, HIIE evoked higher cortical activity on all brain areas measured in the present study than the MCE group. To our knowledge, these results provide the first empirical evidence using a mobile neuroimaging approach that both HIIE and MCE improve executive function during walking, likely mediated by increased activation of the task‐related area of the prefrontal cortex and the ability to effectively use, among other things, high fitness levels as neural enrichment resources. Abstract : In this study, functional near‐infrared spectroscopy revealed the neural correlates underpinning the acute effects of high‐intensity interval training compared to moderate‐intensity continuous training (MCE) on fine motor cognitive performance (digital Trail‐Making Test) during walking (dual‐task) in healthy young adults. High‐intensity interval training evoked higher cortical activity in the frontopolar area, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and motor cortex compared to the MCE group, and this was especially true for the task with the highest cognitive demands.