Comparison of the Sustainability Effects of High-Intensity Interval Exercise and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Exercise on Cognitive Flexibility

Shudong Tian, Hong Mou, Qun Fang, Xiaoxiao Zhang, Fanying Meng and Fanghui Qiu
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Shudong Tian: Department of Physical Education, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
Hong Mou: Department of Physical Education, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
Qun Fang: Department of Physical Education, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
Xiaoxiao Zhang: School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
Fanying Meng: Institute of Physical Education, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
Fanghui Qiu: Department of Physical Education, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 18, 1-11

Abstract: This study examined the immediate and sustained effects of high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) and moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) on cognitive flexibility in young adults. Participants ( n = 56) engaged in (1) a session of HIIE, involving 10 sets of one-minute treadmill running at an intensity targeting 90% heart rate reserve (HRR) interspersed with self-paced walking at 50% HRR; (2) a session of MICE, involving a 20 min treadmill running at an intensity of 40–59% HRR; and (3) a control session, involving 24 min of resting on separate days in a counterbalanced order. Using a more-odd shifting task, cognitive flexibility was assessed before the intervention (t 0 ), immediately after the session (t 1 ), and then at 30 min (t 2 ) after the session. During the more-odd shifting task, the switch cost of response time (RT) immediately after the HIIE was significantly reduced compared to that before exercise, suggesting beneficial effects on cognitive flexibility. Additionally, the impacts of HIIE were maintained for 30 min post-exercise. However, improved cognitive flexibility was not observed until 30 min after the MICE intervention. HIIE might represent a time-efficient approach for enhancing cognitive flexibility.

Keywords: acute exercise; cognition; more-odd shifting; time course (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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