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. 2014 Jan:7:53-64.
doi: 10.1016/j.dcn.2013.11.001. Epub 2013 Nov 16.

Acute exercise facilitates brain function and cognition in children who need it most: an ERP study of individual differences in inhibitory control capacity

Eric S Drollette  1 , Mark R Scudder  2 , Lauren B Raine  3 , R Davis Moore  4 , Brian J Saliba  5 , Matthew B Pontifex  6 , Charles H Hillman  7
Affiliations

Acute exercise facilitates brain function and cognition in children who need it most: an ERP study of individual differences in inhibitory control capacity

Eric S Drollette et al. Dev Cogn Neurosci. 2014 Jan.

Abstract

The present study examined the effects of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on aspects of cognitive control in two groups of children categorized by higher- and lower-task performance. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were collected in 40 preadolescent children during a modified flanker task following 20 min of treadmill walking and seated rest on separate occasions. Participants were bifurcated into two groups based on task performance following the resting session. Findings revealed that following exercise, higher-performers maintained accuracy and exhibited no change in P3 amplitude compared to seated rest. Lower-performers demonstrated a differential effect, such that accuracy measures improved, and P3 amplitude increased following exercise. Lastly, both groups displayed smaller N2 amplitude and shorter P3 latency following exercise, suggesting an overall facilitation in response conflict and the speed of stimulus classification. The current findings replicate prior research reporting the beneficial influence of acute aerobic exercise on cognitive performance in children. However, children with lower inhibitory control capacity may benefit the most from single bouts of exercise. These data are among the first to demonstrate the differential effect of physical activity on individuals who vary in inhibitory control, and further support the role of aerobic exercise for brain health during development.

Keywords: Executive function; Flanker; Higher-performers; Lower-performers; Physical activity.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Enrollment flow chart demonstrating the origin of higher- and lower-performing participants collected from two separate published studies (Pontifex et al., 2013, Hillman et al., 2009).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Topographic plots of N2 amplitude collapsed across congruency and performance.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Stimulus-locked grand-average waveform from (A) the FCz electrode site and (B) the Pz electrode site, collapsed across congruency conditions for higher- and lower-performers.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Topographic plots of P3 amplitude collapsed across congruency for higher- and lower-performers.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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