Effects of Acute Exercise on Long-Term Memory |
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Authors: | Jeffrey D. Labban Jennifer L. Etnier |
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Affiliation: | Department of Kinesiology , University of North Carolina– Greensboro |
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Abstract: | In this study, we tested the effect of acute exercise on long-term memory, specifically the timing of exercise relative to the memory challenge. We assessed memory via paragraph recall, in which participants listened to two paragraphs (exposure) and recounted them following a 35-min delay. Participants (n = 48) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: exercise prior to exposure, exercise after exposure, or no-exercise. Exercise consisted of 30 min on a cycle ergometer, including 20 min at moderate intensity. Only the exercise-prior group recalled significantly more than the control group (p < .05). Differences among the exercise groups failed to reach significance (p = .09). Results indicated that acute exercise positively influenced recall and that exercise timing relative to memory task may have an impact on this effect. |
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Keywords: | aerobic ergometer physical activity recall |
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