ERPs to Academics: Exercise Effects on Cognition in School-Aged Children

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案的目的是通过检查 9 个月的运动干预对青春期前儿童认知的基本和应用方面的影响，提高我们对学龄儿童认知健​​康相关因素的理解。从基本测量的角度来看，将在旨在评估执行控制各个方面（即与负责感知、记忆和行动的计算过程的选择、调度和协调有关的过程的子集）的多项任务中研究与事件相关的大脑电位（即响应或准备刺激或反应的神经电活动）和行为（即反应时间、响应准确性）认知指数。初步研究观察到，与低适应度相比，高适应度的儿童和成人使用反映环境刺激（即 P3）注意力分配和反应监测过程（即 ERN、Pe）的神经电测量以及反映反应速度和准确性的行为测量，表现得更快、更高效。这些初步发现表明，更强的自上而下的注意力控制可能与体力活动的增加有关。从应用测量的角度来看，初步研究发现，与有氧适能较低的儿童相比，有氧适能较高的儿童在阅读和数学标准化成绩测试中表现更好，这表明运动可能与应用学校环境中的学业成绩有关。迄今为止，尚无因果证据表明体力活动对儿童认知的神经电、行为或应用学校表现指数的影响。因此，本提案研究了有氧身体活动训练干预对这些认知测量的影响，使用需要不同数量的执行控制的三个任务（单刺激、Go/NoGo、侧翼），以及使用随机控制设计的伊利诺伊州标准化成绩测试，其中参与者被分配到课后身体活动计划或候补名单对照组。鉴于最近发现青春期前青少年体力活动水平和健康状况下降的趋势，了解体力活动对认知的潜在益处非常有意义。必须检查积极影响儿童认知功能的因素，以最大限度地提高个人在一生中的健康和有效功能。公共卫生相关性：最近的趋势表明，青春期前儿童的身体活动、健康和健康水平正在下降。检查对学龄儿童认知健​​康产生积极影响的因素，例如体力活动行为和有氧健身，对于提高学校表现、最大化健康以及改善个人在整个生命周期中的整体功能非常重要。来自伊利诺伊州厄巴纳小学系统的青春期前儿童样本将被随机分配到为期 9 个月的课后计划，该计划侧重于有氧运动或候补名单对照组，以确定体育活动对认知的基本和应用方面的影响。认知功能的神经电和行为指数的变化以及数学和阅读标准化学术成绩测试的表现将作为参与干预的函数进行检查。初步研究表明，体力活动与认知的基础和应用方面呈正相关，与需要大量执行控制的任务的关系更为密切。然而，之前的研究主要集中在老年人身上，很少有研究探讨儿童身体活动与执行控制之间的关系。这些发现将为儿童提供生活方式方面的考虑，以改善他们一生中的认知健康。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The aim of this proposal is to improve our understanding of factors related to cognitive health of school-aged children by examining the effects of a 9-month exercise intervention on basic and applied aspects of cognition in preadolescent children. From a basic measurement perspective, event-related brain potentials (i.e., neuroelectric activity in response to, or in preparation for, a stimulus or response) and behavioral (i.e., reaction time, response accuracy) indices of cognition will be studied during several tasks aimed at assessing various aspects of executive control (i.e., a subset of processes concerned with the selection, scheduling, and coordination of computational processes responsible for perception, memory, and action). Preliminary research has observed faster and more efficient performance in high-fit, relative to low-fit, children and adults using neuroelectric measures that reflect attentional allocation to environmental stimuli (i.e., P3) and response monitoring processes (i.e., ERN, Pe), along with behavioral measures that reflect response speed and accuracy. These preliminary findings indicate greater top-down attentional control may be associated with increases in physical activity. From an applied measurement perspective, preliminary research has found that children with greater aerobic fitness perform better on standardized achievement tests of reading and mathematics, compared to children with lower aerobic fitness, suggesting that exercise may be related to academic performance in an applied school setting. To date, no causal evidence exists regarding the effects of physical activity on neuroelectric, behavioral, or applied school performance indices of cognition in children. Accordingly, this proposal investigates an aerobic physical activity training intervention on these measures of cognition using three tasks (single stimulus, Go/NoGo, flanker) that require variable amounts of executive control, and on the Illinois Standardized Achievement Test using a randomized control design in which particiants are assigned to an afterschool physical activity program or a wait-list control group. Given recent trends identifying decreased levels of physical activity and health status in preadolescents, the understanding of the potential benefits of physical activity on cognition is of great interest. It is imperative that factors positively influencing cognitive function of children be examined to maximize health and effective functioning of individuals as they progress through the lifespan. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: recent trends have identified decreasing levels of physical activity, fitness, and health in preadolescent children. Examining factors, such as physical activity behavior and aerobic fitness that positively influence cognitive health of school-age children are important for improving school performance, maximizing health, and improving the overall functioning of individuals as they progress through the human lifespan. A sample of preadolescent children from the Urbana, Illinois elementary school system will be randomly assigned to a 9- month afterschool program that focuses on either aerobic exercise or wait-list control group to determine the effects of physical activity on basic and applied aspects of cognition. Changes in neuroelectric and behavioral indices of cognitive function and performance on standardized academic achievement tests of mathematics and reading will be examined as a function of participation in the intervention. Preliminary research supports that physical activity is positively associated with basic and applied aspects of cognition, with a stronger relationship for tasks requiring extensive amounts of executive control. However, previous research has mainly focused on older adults, and little research has examined the relationship between physical activity and executive control in children. These findings will provide lifestyle considerations for children to improve their cognitive health across the lifespan.