title: Physical Activity Is Associated with Reduced Implicit Learning but Enhanced Relational Memory and Executive Functioning in Young Adults.
abstract: Accumulating evidence suggests that physical activity improves explicit memory and executive cognitive functioning at the extreme ends of the lifespan (i.e., in older adults and children). However, it is unknown whether these associations hold for younger adults who are considered to be in their cognitive prime, or for implicit cognitive functions that do not depend on motor sequencing. Here we report the results of a study in which we examine the relationship between objectively measured physical activity and (1) explicit relational memory, (2) executive control, and (3) implicit probabilistic sequence learning in a sample of healthy, college-aged adults. The main finding was that physical activity was positively associated with explicit relational memory and executive control (replicating previous research), but negatively associated with implicit learning, particularly in females. These results raise the intriguing possibility that physical activity upregulates some cognitive processes, but downregulates others. Possible implications of this pattern of results for physical health and health habits are discussed.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America.
authors: Chelsea M
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2672-7374
authors: CM
authors: Stillman
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America.
authors: Jennifer C
authors: JC
authors: Watt
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America.
authors: George A
authors: GA
authors: Grove
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America.
authors: Mariegold E
authors: ME
authors: Wollam
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America.
authors: Fatma
authors: F
authors: Uyar
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Mataro
authors: Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States of America.
authors: Neal J
authors: NJ
authors: Cohen
authors: Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., United States of America.
authors: Darlene V
authors: DV
authors: Howard
authors: Department of Psychology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., United States of America.
authors: James H
authors: JH
authors: Howard
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America.|Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America.
authors: Kirk I
authors: KI
authors: Erickson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056344:Executive Function; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D055815:Young Adult