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Single bouts of exercise selectively sustain attentional processes
Author(s) -
Pontifex Matthew B.,
Parks Andrew C.,
Henning David A.,
Kamijo Keita
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
psychophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.661
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1469-8986
pISSN - 0048-5772
DOI - 10.1111/psyp.12395
Subject(s) - psychology , stimulus (psychology) , oddball paradigm , cognition , orienting response , attentional bias , cognitive psychology , audiology , attentional control , selective attention , developmental psychology , neuroscience , habituation , event related potential , medicine
This study examined how single bouts of exercise may differentially modulate neuroelectric correlates of attentional orienting and processing. Using a within‐participants design, ERPs and task performance were assessed in response to a perceptually challenging three‐stimulus oddball task prior to and following a bout of exercise or seated rest during two separate, counterbalanced sessions. Findings revealed that, following a single bout of exercise, attentional processing was sustained relative to pretest whereas prolonged sitting resulted in attentional decrements. Focal attention resulting from attentional orienting, in contrast, does not appear to be sensitive to the influences of single bouts of physical activity. These findings suggest that acute exercise‐induced changes in cognition do not originate from an overall modulation of attention but instead are specific to aspects of attentional processing.