The purpose of this study was to examine effects of acute exercise on cognitive function. Ten participants (mean±SD, age = 25.4±3.2 yr; height = 1.75±0.06 m; body mass = 70.4±10.3 kg, peak oxygen uptake（VO₂) = 44.4±6.6 ml・kg⁻¹・min⁻¹) cycled at three different workloads (40%, 60%, and 80% peak VO₂) in an incremental manner. They performed a modified version of the Ericksen flanker task at rest and during cycling. Cerebral oxygenation was simultaneously monitored during the cognitive task over the right frontal cortex using near-infrared spectroscopy. Exercise at 40% peak VO₂ did not affect cognitive performance. Cognitive performance improved during exercise at 60% peak VO₂ relative to rest, while cerebral oxygenation was not different from that at rest. Despite substantial decrease in cerebral oxygenation during exercise at 80% peak VO₂, cognitive performance was not affected by exercise at 80% peak VO₂. We demonstrated that improvement in cognitive function during moderate exercise is not directly associated with changes in cerebral oxygenation.

DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.31/THE DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE