Effects of acute exercise on visuo-spatial working memory in children with ADHD

• Main Authors: Chuang, Lan-Ya, 莊嵐雅
• Other Authors: Hung, Tsung-Min
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/20183225770482814699

博士 === 國立臺灣師範大學 === 體育學系 === 104 === Single bout of aerobic exercise with moderate intensity has been linked to enhancement of cognitive performance in ADHD children. However, the effects of acute exercise on working memory are still unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of acute exercise on working memory in ADHD children. This study included two sections. First section aimed at exploring the differences in capabilities of visuo-spatial working memory between typical development (TD) and ADHD children. Fifteen TD children and 14 (inconsistent with your Chinese abstract) ADHD children were recruited and required to complete working memory-storage task, working memory-executive task and simple reaction time task. The second section targeted at examining the effects of acute exercise on performance of visuo-spatial executive working memory task and visuo-spatial storage working memory task in ADHD children. Fourteen (inconsistent with your Chinese abstract)ADHD children were required to participate in non-exercise, 20 min aerobic exercise sessions respectively before executing of working memory-storage task, working memory-executive task and simple reaction time task. All the behavioral parameters as well as ERP parameter (P3) were subjected to independent t-tests or two-way ANOVAs to compare the differences regarding working memory capacity between TD and ADHD children. In additions, paired t-test and ANOVAs were respectively utilized to evaluate the different effects of exercise and video watching on behavioral performance and event-related potential (P3) in children with ADHD. Results showed that ADHD children displayed greater RT in all tasks and lower accuracy in both working memory tasks. As for P3 component, ADHD children exhibited decreased S1-evoked P3 amplitude at Fz, Cz, and Pz, and smaller S2-evoked P3 amplitude at Cz and Pz in two working memory tasks. As for comparisons between conditions in children with ADHD, they exhibited lower false recognition only in executive working memory task after exercise comparing with video-watching. Besides, ADHD children also displayed greater P3 at Pz and smaller P3 at Fz during response phase after one bout of exercise. Such results replicate previous studies which indicated that children with ADHD may have impairment in working memory. Importantly, current results provided preliminary evidence supporting the beneficial effects of acute exercise on aspects of working memory which burden a higher level of central executive in children with ADHD. One bout of exercise may lead to develop an efficient and adaptable strategy to manage greater demands upon working memory capacity.