The Effect of Exercise Intensity on Markers of Cognition in Children

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of two different exercise intensities on various aspects of cognition. Methods: Four children (female=2, male=2, 8-14 years old) have participated in this study, which required three separate visits. The first visit consists of a VO2max test and four cognitive tasks. Visits 2 and 3 consist of a 15-min exercise bout followed by the four cognitive tasks. Visits 2 and 3 are identical except for the intensity of exercise (50% [moderate-intensity] or 75% [vigorous intensity] of VO2max). Results: Reaction time improved following vigorous intensity compared to moderate intensity in some participants, but not others. Memory did not improve following either exercise intensity compared to baseline. Attention improved following vigorous intensity compared to baseline and moderate intensity. Conclusion: Exercise improves some aspects of cognitive performance compared to baseline, but it is difficult to identify a consistent effect of exercise intensity with the small sample size