Exercise modulates the interaction between cognition and anxiety in humans

Cognition & Emotion
Tiffany R LagoMonique Ernst

Abstract

Despite interest in exercise as a treatment for anxiety disorders the mechanism behind the anxiolytic effects of exercise is unclear. Two observations motivate the present work. First, engagement of attention control during increased working memory (WM) load can decrease anxiety. Second, exercise can improve attention control. Therefore, exercise could boost the anxiolytic effects of increased WM load via its strengthening of attention control. Anxiety was induced by threat of shock and was quantified with anxiety-potentiated startle (APS). Thirty-five healthy volunteers (19 male, age M = 26.11, SD  = 5.52) participated in two types of activity, exercise (biking at 60-70% of heart rate reserve) and control-activity (biking at 10-20% of heart rate reserve). After each activity, participants completed a WM task (n-back) at low- and high-load during safe and threat. Results were not consistent with the hypothesis: exercise vs. control-activity increased APS in high-load (p = .03). However, this increased APS was not accompanied with threat-induced impairment in WM performance (p = .37). Facilitation of both task-relevant stimulus processing and task-irrelevant threat processing, concurrent with prevention of threat interference on...Continue Reading

References

Jun 1, 1994·Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior·M FendtH U Schnitzler
Apr 1, 1997·International Journal of Sports Medicine·M R Trine, W P Morgan
Dec 12, 2001·Sports Medicine·R MeeusenK De Meirleir
Jul 30, 2002·Psychopathology·Michael B First
Nov 9, 2002·Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology·Torkel KlingbergHelena Westerberg
Apr 5, 2003·Psychopharmacology·C J HarmerG M Goodwin
Jun 12, 2003·International Journal of Psychophysiology : Official Journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology·Charles H HillmanGerald J Jerome
Sep 2, 2003·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·Christian Grillon, Johanna Baas
Jul 13, 2004·Annals of Noninvasive Electrocardiology : the Official Journal of the International Society for Holter and Noninvasive Electrocardiology, Inc·R A BruceG Strait
Apr 28, 2006·Emotion·Alexander J ShackmanRichard J Davidson
Dec 20, 2007·Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology·Benjamin A Sibley, Sian L Beilock
Mar 12, 2009·Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise·Matthew B PontifexTeresa A Valentini
Apr 30, 2009·Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience·Kateri McRaeKevin N Ochsner
Jul 29, 2009·Developmental Science·Joni HolmesDarren L Dunning
Dec 15, 2010·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·Masud Husain, Mitul A Mehta
Sep 26, 2012·Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics·Lindsey B DeBoerJasper A J Smits
Dec 13, 2012·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Anastasia Kiyonaga, Tobias Egner
Jul 24, 2013·Circulation·Gerald F FletcherUNKNOWN American Heart Association Exercise, Cardiac Rehabilitation, and Prevention Committee of the Council on Clinical Cardiology,
Nov 29, 2014·Neuropsychopharmacology : Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology·Christian GrillonMonique Ernst
Feb 24, 2015·Annals of Behavioral Medicine : a Publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine·Gregory L StonerockJames A Blumenthal
Jul 20, 2016·Psychophysiology·Nicholas L BalderstonChristian Grillon
Jan 22, 2017·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Nash Unsworth, Matthew K Robison
Jul 19, 2017·Journal of Exercise Nutrition & Biochemistry·Hyukki ChangMorimasa Kato
Aug 18, 2017·Learning & Memory·Nilam PatelMonique Ernst
Aug 23, 2017·Perceptual and Motor Skills·Elizabeth A Crush, Paul D Loprinzi

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jun 22, 2019·Neuropsychopharmacology : Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology·Christian GrillonMonique Ernst
Mar 18, 2020·Psychophysiology·Christian GrillonMonique Ernst
Nov 19, 2019·The European Journal of Neuroscience·Tiffany R LagoChristian Grillon
Aug 28, 2021·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Liyuan XuAiguo Chen

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

Biopac
Presentation

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Autoimmune Polyendocrine Syndromes

This feed focuses on a rare genetic condition called Autoimmune Polyendocrine Syndromes, which are characterized by autoantibodies against multiple endocrine organs. This can lead to Type I Diabetes.

Autoimmune Polyendocrinopathies

Autoimmune polyendocrinopathies, also called polyglandular autoimmune syndromes (PGASs), or polyendocrine autoimmune syndromes(PASs), are a heterogeneous group of rare diseases characterized by autoimmune activity against more than one endocrine organ, although non-endocrine organs can be affected. Discover the latest research on autoimmune polyendocrinopathies here.