title: The differential effects of prolonged exercise upon executive function and cerebral oxygenation.
abstract: The acute-exercise effects upon cognitive functions are varied and dependent upon exercise duration and intensity, and the type of cognitive tasks assessed. The hypofrontality hypothesis assumes that prolonged exercise, at physiologically challenging intensities, is detrimental to executive functions due to cerebral perturbations (indicated by reduced prefrontal activity). The present study aimed to test this hypothesis by measuring oxygenation in prefrontal and motor regions using near-infrared spectroscopy during two executive tasks (flanker task and 2-back task) performed while cycling for 60min at a very low intensity and an intensity above the ventilatory threshold. Findings revealed that, compared to very low intensity, physiologically challenging exercise (i) shortened reaction time in the flanker task, (ii) impaired performance in the 2-back task, and (iii) initially increased oxygenation in prefrontal, but not motor regions, which then became stable in both regions over time. Therefore, during prolonged exercise, not only is the intensity of exercise assessed important, but also the nature of the cognitive processes involved in the task. In contrast to the hypofrontality hypothesis, no inverse pattern of oxygenation between prefrontal and motor regions was observed, and prefrontal oxygenation was maintained over time. The present results go against the hypofrontality hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: Université Côte d'Azur, Laboratoire Motricité Humaine Expertise Sport Santé (LAMHESS), Nice, France; Department of Sports Tourism, Physiology and Medicine, National Research Tomsk State University, Russia. Electronic address: tempest.gavin@unice.fr.
authors.forename: Gavin D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Tempest
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, LPC, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Davranche
authors.affiliation: Université Côte d'Azur, Laboratoire Motricité Humaine Expertise Sport Santé (LAMHESS), Nice, France.
authors.forename: Jeanick
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brisswalter
authors.affiliation: EuroMov, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Stephane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perrey
authors.affiliation: Université Côte d'Azur, Laboratoire Motricité Humaine Expertise Sport Santé (LAMHESS), Nice, France.
authors.forename: Rémi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Radel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cognitive control; Near-infrared spectroscopy; Prefrontal cortex; Response inhibition; Ventilatory threshold; Working memory