The effect of aerobic exercise according with motor complexity on cognitive function

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K11606
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59030:Physical education, and physical and health education-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Denki University
• Principal Investigator: Kimura Ken 東京電機大学, 工学部, 教授 (60408648)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 水村 真由美 (久埜真由美) お茶の水女子大学, 基幹研究院, 教授 (60292801)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 有酸素運動 / 認知機能 / ダンス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The study aimed to investigate how motor complexity in dance exercises affects the executive cognitive function of young adults. More than 60 people aged 20 years participated in this study. They were randomly divided into three groups: 1) Aerobic dance exercise (AD), 2) Aerobic exercise (AE), and 3) Control (Co). The participants in the DE group participated in aerobic dance exercises, while the AE group participated in aerobic exercise using a stationary bike. The participants in both groups attended the 30-min workout three times a week for three months (12 weeks). Computer-based cognitive reaction time (RT) tests were administered to investigate the effects of training on cognitive function (i.e., cognitive flexibility). The results revealed that the improvement of RT in the AD group tended to exceed that in the AE group. It is suggested that the motor complexity in exercise may influence the improvement of cognitive flexibility compared with simple aerobic exercise.

Free Research Field

身体運動科学、スポーツ認知神経科科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年、走・歩などの有酸素運動よりも運動技能の習得が必要な球技スポーツ、ダンス、太極拳などの愛好家において認知機能が高い傾向にあることが報告されている。しかしながら、複雑性の高い身体運動の学習が認知機能のトレーニング負荷（認知負荷）として有効であるか、また、その効果について妥当性のある検証報告はない。本研究によって、運動学習の認知機能への効果の背景に運動課題の複雑性が関与することが確認された。運動学習を伴う有酸素運動には、低強度であっても包括的な認知機能改善効果が期待される。本研究成果は、認知機能改善・低下予防における運動処方の運動種類・強度・量の体系化に極めて重要な科学的根拠を提供する。