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Prefrontal Oxygenation During Exercise and Inhibitory Control After Aerobic and Game-Based Exercise in Young Adults
1Department of Physical Education, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
Brain Sciences
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Higher prefrontal oxygenation during exercise, measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), is linked to improved inhibitory control. This suggests neurophysiological responses during physical activity may explain cognitive benefits from exercise.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Exercise Physiology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Acute exercise impacts executive function, but the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms are not fully understood.
- Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) offers a viable method to measure prefrontal cortex (PFC) oxygenation during physical activity.
- Understanding the link between PFC oxygenation during exercise and cognitive changes is crucial for optimizing exercise interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between prefrontal oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) levels during exercise and subsequent improvements in inhibitory control.
- To compare neurophysiological responses and cognitive outcomes between aerobic and game-based exercise conditions.
- To explore how exercise-related changes in PFC oxygenation relate to individual differences in cognitive benefits.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-four young adults participated in a within-subject design, completing both aerobic (jogging) and game-based (pickleball) exercise sessions.
- Prefrontal oxy-Hb was continuously measured using fNIRS during exercise, with exercise intensity monitored.
- Inhibitory control was assessed pre- and post-exercise using the Eriksen Flanker task, with Flanker cost improvement as the primary behavioral outcome.
Main Results:
- Exercise intensity was similar across both conditions.
- A significant positive association was found between mean prefrontal oxy-Hb during exercise and improvement in Flanker cost (β = 3.71 ms per 0.01 μM, p < 0.001).
- Game-based exercise resulted in higher mean prefrontal oxy-Hb compared to aerobic exercise, though no significant difference in cognitive improvement was observed between conditions.
Conclusions:
- Prefrontal cortical oxygenation during physical activity is directly associated with enhanced inhibitory control post-exercise.
- Neurophysiological responses, specifically PFC oxygenation, may mediate the acute cognitive benefits of exercise.
- These findings highlight the importance of considering brain activity during exercise to understand variability in cognitive enhancements.
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