Studies show that long-term physical exercise has a positive effect on cognition. However. research examining the effects of single acute bouts of exercise have produced mixed results. In the current study, researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to better understand the cognitive effects of acute bouts of exercise.
To do so, they analyzed data from 113 studies published between 1995 and 2023, including 4,390 participants between 18 and 45 years old. Acute exercise was ultimately linked to a small improvement in cognition and a decrease in reaction time. Improvements were also observed for working memory and inhibition.
The researchers noted that vigorous activities- such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and cycling- produced the largest effects, and that effects were strongest in studies that assessed cognition after, and not during, exercise. The strongest effects were observed for exercise lasting less than 30 minutes.
"Our work showed the strongest evidence for a positive effect of single bouts of exercise on cognition and that this evidence was impacted by a variety of factors,” said senior author of the study, Barry Giesbrecht, a professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of California at Santa Barbara in a press release.
He added that the observed cognitive enhancements might be ‘on the small side’ as the observed physical activities and cognitive tasks were generally unrelated. He thus noted that using tasks that integrate body actions and cognitive systems may generate more pronounced benefits. The researchers aim to test this idea via a combination of lab tasks and real-world activities.
Sources: Neuroscience News, Communications Psychology
