Acute low- and higher-volume resistance circuit training improves immediate and short-term cognition in young adults

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Exercise’s significance in promoting health and fitness cannot be overstated. In addition, various exercises have been shown to enhance cognition. The combination of aerobic and strength benefits in resistance circuit training (RCT) offers a unique opportunity to study how two different outcomes of exercise interact to enhance cognitive function. Such research could lead to new recommendations for improving cognitive and motor performance.

AIM: The present study investigated the role of two volumes of resistance circuit training (Low Volume [LV-RCT] of approximately 11 min and Higher Volume [HV-RCT] of approximately 23 min) on information processing speed and executive function.

METHOD: Thirty adult male and female volunteers (18, male; 12, female) between the ages of 18-25 (mean [± standard deviation]: 22.37 ±2.06) were randomly recruited and assigned to either a non-exercise-control (CON), an LV-RCT, or an HV-RCT group. Participants took part in an introductory session followed one day later by an exercise session. During the exercise session, participants participated in timed single-choice, multichoice, and dual-task response-time tasks to ascertain information processing and the Trail Making Test to ascertain executive functioning. Information processing was analyzed by fractionating total response time into reaction and movement times. In the exercise session, measurements were taken pre-exercise, 1 min (immediately), and 20 min (short-term) postexercise. The observed benefits in the intervention groups were compared to those in the control group using repeated measures ANOVA.

RESULTS: The following outcomes were found: (1) on the single-choice task, there were no significant differences among groups; (2) on the multichoice task and dual-task, both RCT groups displayed decreased reaction (p < 0.05, η² = 0.04, p < 0.01, η² = 0.04, respectively) and response times (p < 0.05, η² = 0.05, p < 0.001, η² = 0.10, respectively) postexercise, with no differences between RCT groups; and (3) On the Trail Making Test, participants in the HV-RCT condition, and not the LV-RCT condition, improved their executive function scores (p < 0.05, η² = 0.06).

CONCLUSION: Despite small effect sizes for some data, results indicated that resistance circuit training can improve young adults’ cognitive processing speed on complex stimulus-response tasks and executive functioning. The combination of aerobic and strength benefits found in circuit training emerges as a unique opportunity to study how two different outcomes of exercise interact to enhance cognitive function.