Effect of intermittent isometric handgrip exercise protocol with short exercise duration on cognitive performance
Shotaro Saito1, Takuro Washio1,2, Hironori Watanabe1
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama, 350-8585, Japan.
The Journal of Physiological Sciences : JPS
|April 7, 2021
Summary
Isometric handgrip exercise, a safe therapy for the elderly, did not enhance cognitive performance in young adults. This short-duration exercise did not improve reaction time or accuracy in cognitive tasks.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Isometric handgrip (IHG) exercise is recognized for its therapeutic benefits, especially for the elderly and bedridden patients, and its potential to lower resting blood pressure.
- However, the acute impact of IHG exercise on cognitive functions remains insufficiently understood.
- This study investigates a specific intermittent IHG protocol designed to minimize blood pressure response.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the acute effects of a short-duration intermittent isometric handgrip (IHG) exercise protocol on cognitive performance in healthy young adults.
- To determine if this specific IHG protocol influences reaction time and accuracy in cognitive tasks.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-two healthy young subjects participated in the study.
- They performed an intermittent IHG exercise protocol: 30 seconds of IHG at 30% maximal voluntary contraction followed by 45 seconds of rest, repeated for 16 cycles.
- Cognitive performance was assessed using Go/No-Go and memory recognition tasks before and after the exercise intervention, measuring reaction time and accuracy.
Main Results:
- The intermittent IHG exercise protocol did not result in significant changes in reaction time or performance accuracy for the Go/No-Go task.
- Similarly, cognitive performance in the memory recognition task, in terms of reaction time and accuracy, remained unchanged after the exercise protocol.
- Statistical analysis showed no significant differences (P > 0.05) for any measured cognitive variable.
Conclusions:
- The intermittent IHG exercise protocol, characterized by its short duration and minimized arterial blood pressure response, does not appear to acutely enhance cognitive performance in healthy young adults.
- While IHG exercise is valuable for therapeutic purposes, particularly in vulnerable populations, this specific protocol may not provide sufficient physiological stimulation to yield cognitive benefits.
- Further research may be needed to explore different IHG protocols or populations to determine potential cognitive enhancements.
