The Effects of Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Exercise on Cognition and Arousal in Extrovert and Introvert Personality Types

The present study examined differences in cognitive function between extrovert and introvert personality groups using a modified flanker task that included easy (congruent) and more difficult (incongruent) trials, at rest and during exercise. Dependent variables included amplitude and latency of the N100 component of event-related potentials, and behavioral measures included accuracy and reaction time. Fifteen extroverts and 14 introverts, ages 18-30 (22 women and 7 men), participated in the study. Although there were no significant differences in cognitive function between personality groups for any measures, cognitive function improved from rest to exercise for the entire sample as indexed by decreased N100 amplitude [F (1, 26) = 29.89, p \u3c.001] and faster reaction time [F (1, 27) = 36.12, p \u3c.001], without any decrements in accuracy. Although exercise improved cognitive function in both congruent and incongruent trials as evidenced by faster reaction times, significantly greater improvements were found for the more difficult, incongruent trials [F (1, 27) = 21.89, p \u3c.001]. In summary, an acute bout of 20 minutes of aerobic exercise can result in substantial gains in cognitive function