title: Facilitating effects of exercise on information processing.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the facilitating effects of moderate physical exercise on the reaction process to gain a better understanding of the interaction between physiological and cognitive processes. Sixteen participants with specific expertise in decision-making sports performed a double task consisting of choice reaction time while cycling. Signal quality, stimulus-response compatibility and time uncertainty were manipulated. Participants were tested at rest and while cycling at 20% and at 50% of their maximal aerobic power. A mood assessment questionnaire and a critical flicker fusion test were administered before and after the choice reaction time task. The results showed that moderate-intensity exercise (50% maximal aerobic power) improves cognitive performance and that low-intensity exercise (20% maximal aerobic power) enables participants to compensate the negative dual-task effect.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Analyse de la Performance Motrice Humaine (LAPMH), Maison des Sciences de l'Homme et de la Société, 99 Avenue du Recteur Pineau, 86000 Poitiers, France. karen.davranche@mshs.univ-poitiers.fr
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Davranche
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Audiffren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time; D012146:Rest; D014796:Visual Perception