Acute psychosocial stress and working memory performance: the potential of physical activity to modulate cognitive functions in children

BMC Pediatrics
Kathrin WunschNadine Kasten

Abstract

Research suggests that physical activity (PA) enhances cognitive performance and prevents stress-related impairments of higher order cognitive functions like working memory (WM) performance. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of PA on WM performance after acute stress exposure in preadolescent children. Regular PA was assessed for seven consecutive days during a typical school week using accelerometers in a sample of 44 preadolescent children (14 girls, Mage = 11.29 years, SDage = 0.67). Following this period, participants performed an automated operational span (OSPAN) task immediately after being exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-C). Children exhibited prototypical response slopes in salivary cortisol and salivary α-amylase as markers of the endocrine and autonomic stress response immediately after psychosocial stress induction. A subsequent two-way ANOVA comparing high- and low-stress responders revealed a significant interaction between group affiliation and PA level on WM performance for both stress markers. Interestingly, best WM performance was demonstrated in children showing both high PA levels and high cortisol (or low α-amylase, respectively) stress responses. Though p...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jan 21, 2021·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Kathrin WunschAlexander Woll
May 1, 2021·Acta Psychologica·Lital Daches CohenOrly Rubinsten

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
Biopsychology

Software Mentioned

movisensXS
Psychology Experiment Building Language
lme4
Power
R

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