Does aerobic training improve mental stress tolerance in job situations?
OBJECTIVE
Effects of aerobic fitness on cognitive performance (CP) in elderly persons have been investigated with contradictory


RESULTS
However, these effects have not been explored in occupationally active young and healthy subjects yet. Therefore we studied the effects of an aerobic training on CP during mental stress and in low demanding situations.


METHODS
Twenty-seven healthy volunteer students performed a maximal bicycle exercise test and 2 computerized psychological examinations at the begin and the end of a 3 month period of individualized aerobic training. The psychological tests were the ''Determinations-test'' (DT), which is a multi-task stress test, and the ''Vigilance test'' (VT), representing a low demanding situation. According to the outcome of the aerobic training 2 groups were formed: those with moderate and those with good training effects.


RESULTS
Results showed no significant differences between the 2 groups over the training period (5 parameters at DT and 4 at VT were n.s., 1 result at VT with p<0.05 was interpreted as a regression to the mean).


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that neither CP at high stress nor vigilance during low demanding periods can be influenced by an improvement of aerobic fitness in occupationally active young and healthy persons.
Leibtseder
V
V
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Valentin.Leibtseder@univie.ac.at
Strauss-Blasche
G
G
Ekmekcioglu
C
C
Marktl
W
W
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D016552:Ergometry; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016272:Occupational Health; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis