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. 2021 Mar 7;18(5):2687.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18052687.

Sustained Effects of High-Intensity Interval Exercise and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Exercise on Inhibitory Control

Shudong Tian  1 , Hong Mou  1 , Fanghui Qiu  1
Affiliations

Sustained Effects of High-Intensity Interval Exercise and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Exercise on Inhibitory Control

Shudong Tian et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

This study examined the immediate and sustained effects of high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) and moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) bouts on inhibitory control in young adults. Participants (n = 41) engaged in (1) a session of HIIE, involving 10 one-minute runs on a treadmill at an intensity targeting 85-90% HRmax interspersed with self-paced walking at 60% HRmax; (2) a session of MICE, involving a 20 min run on a treadmill at an intensity of 60-70% HRmax; and (3) a control session, involving 24 min of resting on separate days in a counterbalanced order. Using a flanker task, inhibitory control was assessed before the intervention (t0), immediately after the session (t1), and then at 30 min (t2), 60 min (t3), and 90 min (t4) after the session. During the flanker task, the response time (RT) for incongruent trials immediately after HIIE was significantly shortened compared to that before exercise. This shortened RT was sustained for 90 min post-exercise during recovery from HIIE. Interference scores of RT were also reduced after HIIE, benefitting inhibitory control, and were maintained for 90 min post-exercise. Reduced accuracy interference scores were recorded following HIIE compared to the control session. Improvements in inhibitory control elicited by HIIE were sustained for at least 90 min post-exercise. In contrast, an improvement in inhibitory control was not observed during the MICE session. HIIE might represent a time-efficient approach for enhancing inhibitory control.

Keywords: HIIE; MICE; inhibitory control; time course.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Experimental protocol. Inhibitory control was assessed pre-exercise/at rest (t0) and at four time points after intervention, including immediately (t1), 30 min (t2), 60 min (t3), and 90 min (t4). HIIE: high-intensity interval exercise. MICE: moderate-intensity continuous exercise. WU: warm-up. CD: cool-down.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Accuracy for congruent trials (a), incongruent trials (b), and interference scores (c) in the flanker task. HIIE: high-intensity interval exercise; MICE: moderate-intensity continuous exercise. (* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01).
Figure 3
Figure 3
RTs for congruent trials (a), incongruent trials (b), and interference scores (c) of the flanker task. (* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001).
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