title: Effect of intermittent exercise on multiple-choice reaction times of soccer players.
abstract: The influence of intermittent exercise on a choice-response time task was investigated. Two groups of 8 male soccer players (M age = 20.9, SD = 2.0) participated. They spent 4.4 (SD = 1.3) weekly hours on soccer training and had been playing soccer for 13 (SD = 3.3) years. Multiple-choice reaction speed and response accuracy were measured four times. Between measurements, one group performed 8-min. blocks of intermittent exercise on a bicycle ergometer and one group rested. Analysis showed that reaction speed and response accuracy were not significantly different between the two groups. Furthermore, there were significant faster reaction times and a larger number of correct reactions through Block 2 in both the exercise and control group (p < .05), probably a result of learning processes and familiarization with the task procedures. Further research towards the specific influence of mode of exercise, intensity, work-rest ratio and duration of intermittent exercise, and the sensitivity of reaction time tasks will be necessary to clarify the relationship between intermittent exercise and cognitive performance.
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 196, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands. k.a.p.m.lemmink@ppsw.rug.nl
authors.forename: Koen A P M
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Lemmink
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Visscher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003071:Cognition; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time; D012916:Soccer