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

描述(申请人提供)：这项建议的目的是通过研究9个月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的各个方面(即，与负责感知、记忆和动作的计算过程的选择、调度和协调有关的过程的子集)的几个任务期间，研究认知的事件相关脑电位(即，对刺激或响应作出反应或准备的神经电活动)和行为(即反应时间、反应准确性)指数。初步研究已经观察到，在高适应儿童和成人中，使用反映对环境刺激(即P3)和反应监测过程(即ERN、Pe)的注意分配的神经电测量以及反映反应速度和准确性的行为测量，表现得比低适应儿童和成人更快、更有效。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，与有氧适应能力较低的儿童相比，有氧适应能力较强的儿童在阅读和数学的标准化成绩测试中表现更好，这表明在应用学校环境下，运动可能与学业表现有关。到目前为止，还没有关于体育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的因果证据。因此，本提案使用三个需要可变执行控制量的任务(单刺激、GO/NOGO、侧翼)来调查有氧体育锻炼对这些认知测量的干预，并使用随机对照设计在伊利诺伊州标准化成就测试上进行调查，在该设计中，参与者被分配到课后体育活动计划或等待名单控制组。鉴于最近发现青春期前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好处是非常有意义的。必须审查对儿童认知功能产生积极影响的因素，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有积极影响的因素，如身体活动行为和有氧健身，对于提高学习成绩、最大化健康和改善个人在一生中进步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的样本将被随机分配到一个为期9个月的课后项目中，该项目的重点是有氧运动或等待名单对照组，以确定体育活动对认知的基本和应用方面的影响。神经电和认知功能的行为指数的变化，以及在标准化的数学和阅读学业成就测试中的表现，将作为参与干预的函数进行检查。初步研究支持，体力活动与认知的基本和应用方面呈正相关，与需要大量执行控制的任务的相关性更强。然而，之前的研究主要集中在老年人身上，很少有研究考察体力活动与儿童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.