Physical activity presents clear benefits for children’s cognition. This study examined the effect of a single session of open- and closed-skill exercise on multisensory perception, i.e. the ability to appropriately merge inputs from different sensory modalities, and on working memory (verbal, visuo-spatial and motor working memory) in 51 children (aged 6–8 years). Using a semi-randomised pre-post design, participants completed a range of cognitive tasks immediately before and after an exercise session or a classroom sedentary activity. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three groups (open-skill, n = 16; closed-skill, n = 16; classroom activity, n = 19). Exercise, but not usual classroom activity, improved children’s multisensory perception, with no difference between exercise types. Results also revealed that a single open-skill session produced verbal working memory (digit span) benefits; a closed-skill exercise session benefitted motor working memory. While the relatively small number of participants should be acknowledged as a limitation, these findings contribute to the emerging evidence for selective cognitive benefits of exercise and show, for the first time in children, that multisensory processing sensitivity is improved by exercise.

Multisensory Perception, Verbal, Visuo-spatial and Motor Working Memory Modulation After a Single Open- or Closed-Skill Exercise Session in Children

Ottoboni, Giovanni;Tessari, Alessia;
2021

Abstract

Physical activity presents clear benefits for children’s cognition. This study examined the effect of a single session of open- and closed-skill exercise on multisensory perception, i.e. the ability to appropriately merge inputs from different sensory modalities, and on working memory (verbal, visuo-spatial and motor working memory) in 51 children (aged 6–8 years). Using a semi-randomised pre-post design, participants completed a range of cognitive tasks immediately before and after an exercise session or a classroom sedentary activity. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three groups (open-skill, n = 16; closed-skill, n = 16; classroom activity, n = 19). Exercise, but not usual classroom activity, improved children’s multisensory perception, with no difference between exercise types. Results also revealed that a single open-skill session produced verbal working memory (digit span) benefits; a closed-skill exercise session benefitted motor working memory. While the relatively small number of participants should be acknowledged as a limitation, these findings contribute to the emerging evidence for selective cognitive benefits of exercise and show, for the first time in children, that multisensory processing sensitivity is improved by exercise.
2021
O’Brien, Jessica; Ottoboni, Giovanni; Tessari, Alessia; Setti, Annalisa
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/773705
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