The Effects of Gymnastics Programs with Different Cognitive Loads on Working Memory and Prefrontal Cortex...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Sports Science

Background:

• Visuospatial working memory (VSWM) is crucial for cognitive development in children.
• Cognitive load influences brain activity and memory performance.
• The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a key role in executive functions, including VSWM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of gymnastics programs with varying cognitive loads on children's VSWM and PFC oxygenation using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).
• To compare the effects of high cognitive load (HG) and low cognitive load (LG) gymnastics interventions against a static control (SC) group.

Main Methods:

• Eighty-one children (7-10 years) were randomized into HG, LG, or SC groups for an 8-week intervention.
• VSWM performance was assessed using accuracy and d-prime before and after the intervention.
• Prefrontal cortex (PFC) oxygenation was monitored using fNIRS, measuring oxyhemoglobin (HbO) concentration.

Main Results:

• Both HG and LG groups showed significant improvements in VSWM accuracy and d-prime over time, unlike the SC group.
• The HG group exhibited superior VSWM performance compared to the SC group post-intervention.
• While PFC oxygenation varied with cognitive load during tasks, the gymnastics interventions did not significantly alter task-related PFC oxygenation.

Conclusions:

• An 8-week gymnastics program can enhance children's VSWM, with higher cognitive loads potentially maximizing these benefits.
• Positive correlations were observed between improvements in VSWM and changes in PFC oxygenation.
• Intervention-induced VSWM improvements may not solely depend on changes in task-related PFC oxygenation.