title: Effects of acute exercise on executive function: a study with a Tower of London Task.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to extend the literature by examining the effects of an acute bout of moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic exercise on the executive functions of planning and problem solving assessed using a Tower of London Task (TOL Task). Forty-two participants were randomly assigned into either exercise or control group, and performed the TOL Task, before and immediately following exercise or a control treatment. The exercise group performed 30 min of exercise on a stationary cycle at moderate to vigorous intensity while the control group read for the same length of time. Results indicated that the exercise group achieved improvements in TOL Task scores reflecting the quality of planning and problem solving, but not in those reflecting rule adherence and performance speed. These findings indicate that an acute bout of aerobic exercise has facilitative effects on the executive functions of planning and problem solving.
authors.affiliation: National Taiwan Sport University, Taoyuan, Republic of China, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Kai
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Chia-Liang
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Tsung-Min
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Edmund Cheung
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: So
authors.forename: Feng-Tzu
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Etnier
mesh_terms: D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011340:Problem Solving; D013624:Taiwan; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult