The effects of aerobic exercise intensity on cognition in adults aged 18-45
LE3 .A278 2017
2017
Mekary, Saïd
Acadia University
Bachelor of Kinesiology
Honours
Kinesiology
As rates of obesity and disease related to sedentary behaviour continue to rise in today’s society, the role that exercise plays in achieving a healthy lifestyle is becoming increasingly important. Considering government health care spending, exercise is a cost-effective way to intervene and combat against chronic disease and ageing. To date, it is still debated which exercise interventions are the most effective in achieving proper fitness and health standards for different populations. Aerobic exercise provides increases in cardiorespiratory fitness, therefore lowering the risk of premature death and allowing individuals to complete activities of daily living. Moderate-intensity interval exercise (MICE) has displayed a positive effect on the peripheral aspects of cardiorespiratory fitness, while the increasingly popular high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) has greater influences on the central components of aerobic fitness. With the prevalence of dementia and other conditions that are related to the brain’s executive functions, many efforts have been placed on finding pharmacological treatment to reverse the effects. Exercise has the capability to act as a primary intervention for delaying the onset of these conditions if maintained throughout an individual’s lifespan. While it has been shown that aerobic exercise can increase a person’s level of executive functioning, it is still unknown whether there is a superior intensity of exercise that yields enhanced effects. At the time of this study, the literature did not reveal a superior exercise intensity to combat cognitive decline in humans. This study aims determine whether there is a difference in the effects that MICE and HIIE have on executive functioning after a 6 week stationary cycle exercise program.
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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:2096
