INTRODUCTION Recent findings showed how the cognitive function could be enhanced by the Physical Activities (PA). Through a Free Recall Memory Test (FRMT) it was highlighted how the acute exercise could improve the storage capacity of children's memory. The present investigation was run to understand whether PA has chronic impact both on physical and cognitive functions. METHODS 93 middle school students (12.22y ± 0.93) were selected from a Rimini school. 47 female and 46 male students performed in three different days Motorfit physical Tests, International Physical Activity (IPAQ-C) and the self-esteem questionnaires and a Free Memory Recall Test. Students’ physical-skills has been related to the cognitive skills through a multivariate analysis of the variance (MANOVA). For each student we assigned values of 1 if they performed the test over the discreet value of the guide line, while 0 if they performed below of it. To evaluate the level of physical activity reported by the children, a linear regression was computed with IPAQ-C scores as dependent variable and gender and the dummy variables for each test as independent variables. RESULTS Significant effect emerged from IPAQ-C, gender, speed and endurance. The MANOVA analysis, instead, revealed a significant interaction for speed and sex for both the memory tasks (F = 4.92, p < .01). Specifically, the high-speed participants were able to storage more words than slower ones both in the first and second session of the FRMT. Moreover, differences between female and male were found. Males have better memory abilities in task 1 than females, while no differences emerged in memory task 2. CONCLUSION The present investigation revealed a chronic effect of the physical activity on speed capacities and on the storage capacity of children's memory, providing evidence that physical exercise could enhance some cognitive functions in children.

Chronic effects of regular exercise and physical activity on the cognitive functions

Gabriele Russo;Federico Nigro;Andrea Ceciliani
2018

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Recent findings showed how the cognitive function could be enhanced by the Physical Activities (PA). Through a Free Recall Memory Test (FRMT) it was highlighted how the acute exercise could improve the storage capacity of children's memory. The present investigation was run to understand whether PA has chronic impact both on physical and cognitive functions. METHODS 93 middle school students (12.22y ± 0.93) were selected from a Rimini school. 47 female and 46 male students performed in three different days Motorfit physical Tests, International Physical Activity (IPAQ-C) and the self-esteem questionnaires and a Free Memory Recall Test. Students’ physical-skills has been related to the cognitive skills through a multivariate analysis of the variance (MANOVA). For each student we assigned values of 1 if they performed the test over the discreet value of the guide line, while 0 if they performed below of it. To evaluate the level of physical activity reported by the children, a linear regression was computed with IPAQ-C scores as dependent variable and gender and the dummy variables for each test as independent variables. RESULTS Significant effect emerged from IPAQ-C, gender, speed and endurance. The MANOVA analysis, instead, revealed a significant interaction for speed and sex for both the memory tasks (F = 4.92, p < .01). Specifically, the high-speed participants were able to storage more words than slower ones both in the first and second session of the FRMT. Moreover, differences between female and male were found. Males have better memory abilities in task 1 than females, while no differences emerged in memory task 2. CONCLUSION The present investigation revealed a chronic effect of the physical activity on speed capacities and on the storage capacity of children's memory, providing evidence that physical exercise could enhance some cognitive functions in children.
2018
ABSTRACT BOOK "YOUTH SPORT 2018"
Gabriele Russo; Federico Nigro; Andrea Ceciliani
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/685891
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