Effects of high-intensity interval exercise on attentional network function in youth athletes

The aim of the study is to explore the impact of high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) on the attentional network function in youth athletes.

A total of 44 youth athletes (mean age: 15.2 ± 1.1 years) were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 22) or a control group (n = 22). The experimental group engaged in a 30-minute HIIE session, while the control group watched a 30-minute documentary. Attentional functions -including alerting, orienting, and executive control - were assessed using the Attention Network Test (ANT) immediately before and after the interventions.

Post-intervention, the experimental group exhibited a significant improvement in executive control, with reaction times decreasing from 102 ± 15 ms to 89 ± 12 ms (p < 0.01). In contrast, the control group's reaction times remained relatively unchanged (pre-test: 101 ± 14 ms; post-test: 100 ± 13 ms; p = 0.45). No significant differences were observed between groups in the alerting effect (experimental: pre-test 35 ± 8 ms, post-test 34 ± 7 ms; control: pre-test 36 ± 9 ms, post-test 35 ± 8 ms), or the orienting effect (experimental: pre-test 42 ± 10 ms, post-test 41 ± 9 ms; control: pre-test 43 ± 11 ms, post-test 42 ± 10 ms).

HIIE significantly improves executive control network function in youth athletes, with limited effects on alerting and orienting networks. These findings suggest that HIIE can enhance cognitive functions, particularly executive control, which can inform the development of optimized training programmes for youth athletes.