title: Acute high-intensity exercise-induced cognitive enhancement and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in young, healthy adults.
abstract: Acute exercise can positively impact cognition. The present study examined the effect of acute high-intensity aerobic exercise on prefrontal-dependent cognitive performance and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Fifty-eight young adults were randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups: (a) an acute bout of high-intensity exercise (n=29) or (b) a non-exercise control (n=29). Participants in the exercise group improved performance on inhibitory control in Stroop interference and on cognitive flexibility in Trail Making Test (TMT) Part-B compared with participants in the control group and increased BDNF immediately after exercise. There was a significant relationship between BDNF and TMT Part-B on the pre-post change following exercise. These findings provide support for the association between improved prefrontal-dependent cognitive performance and increased BDNF in response to acute exercise. We conclude that the changes in BDNF concentration may be partially responsible for prefrontal-dependent cognitive functioning following an acute bout of exercise.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas at Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Jungyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, College of Nursing and Health Innovation, University of Texas at Arlington, TX 76019, USA.
authors.forename: R Matthew
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Brothers
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas at Austin, TX 78712, USA. Electronic address: dcastelli@utexas.edu.
authors.forename: Darla M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Castelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Studies, University of Texas at Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Glowacki
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas at Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Yen T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas at Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Mandy M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Salinas
authors.affiliation: Department of Curriculum & Instruction, University of Texas at Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Jihoon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Curriculum & Instruction, University of Texas at Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Yeonhak
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas at Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Hannah G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Calvert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057190:Stroop Test; D014145:Trail Making Test; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C579455:BDNF protein, human
keywords: Aerobic exercise; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Cognition; Young adults