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Pilot Study: Effects of Short‐term Summer School Program on Plasma Cognitive Marker and Non‐lipid Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Female Adolescents
Author(s) -
Choi Myung Dong,
Park KyungShin
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.842.5
Subject(s) - cognition , medicine , physical education , health promotion , physical activity , psychology , gerontology , physical therapy , public health , medical education , psychiatry , nursing
Education and health are the most important in school‐aged children and adolescents. It is well known that physical activity is a crucial component of health promotion and academic achievement in youth. However, schools do not provide recommended amount of physical activity during regular school seasons. It was reported that especially children in low socio‐economic status (SES) communities have poorer physical health and lower academic performance than children higher in SES. Recent studies indicated that increased physical education in school improves academic achievement and physical health. Thus, this pilot study seeks to find further evidence for the role of extended summer school programs including physical activities in relation to biomarkers of cognition and cardiovascular health in the area of low SES communities. PURPOSE To determine the effects of short‐term summer school programs including 2‐hour exercise per day on a cognitive marker and non‐lipid cardiovascular risk factors in female adolescents. METHODS Thirty high school female students were recruited and 15 students were assigned to the summer school attendant group (SA) and completed summer school programs, including 2‐hour exercise daily for 5 weeks and 15 students were in non‐summer school attendant group (NSA). Plasma brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BNDF), intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM), vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) were measured immediately before and after summer vacation. One‐way ANCOVA was used to determine differences in BNDF, ICAM, and VCAM changes between the groups. RESULTS Plasma BNDF was elevated in SA group after summer vacation, compared with the NSA (12.8±2.2 ng/ml vs.10.0±1.7 ng/ml, respectively, P <0.001). Plasma ICAM level was decreased in the SA group after summer vacation, compared with the NSA (85.5±21.7 ng/ml vs. 109.2±25.9 ng/ml, respectively, P< 0.001). Plasma VCAM was also decreased in the SA group after summer vacation, compared with the NSA (94.9±12.8 ng/ml vs. 109.5±18.4 ng/ml, respectively P <0.001). CONCLUSION Five‐week summer school program may have a positive influence on memory retention and also decrease systematic cardiovascular risk factors in female adolescents. Thus, these preliminary findings support that school‐aged adolescents, while attending at summer school programs, might have beneficial outcomes on brain's memory function and the cardiovascular health, especially in low socio‐economic status communities. However, this pilot study may not provide a direct relationship among BNDF, memory retention, and academic achievement. Thus, further study is needed to verify whether or not increased plasma BNDF improves academic performance and/or skills.