Impact of aerobic exercise training on cognitive functions and affect associated to the COMT polymorphism in young adults.
Physical fitness can serve as a means to enhance cognitive functioning by modulating particular aspects of brain functioning. However, mechanisms underlying this modulating effect remain widely unresolved. To examine the impact and to clarify the mechanisms of physical fitness training in a young and healthy population, it was investigated whether an increase in fitness would result in improvements in executive control processes and positive and negative affect. Moreover, genotype of the Val158Met polymorphism in catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) as an index of relative central dopamine bioavailability was determined to elucidate dopamine tuning efficiency and its association with performance in the applied cognitive tasks. Seventy-five individuals participated and underwent an incremental fitness test to assess physical fitness. An exercising group subsequently engaged in a 17 weeks running training consisting of three running sessions at moderate to high, individually adjusted intensities. Associated with increased fitness improved cognitive flexibility and cognitive control were observed, whereas working memory remained unaffected. In runners, Val/Val participants improved cognitive performance to a greater extent compared to individuals carrying a Met allele. From the present results it is concluded that an increase in physical fitness provides a means to improve cognitive functioning via dopaminergic modulation.
Stroth
Sanna
S
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany. sanna.stroth@uni-duesseldorf.de
Reinhardt
Ralf K
RK
Thöne
Jan
J
Hille
Katrin
K
Schneider
Matthias
M
Härtel
Sascha
S
Weidemann
Wolfgang
W
Bös
Klaus
K
Spitzer
Manfred
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012420:Running
D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase