Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Jan 18;17(2):614. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17020614.
The beneficial effect of physical activity (PA) on the brain has been well established. Both acute and regular PA can boost a range of cognitive functions and enhance mood and mental health. Notably, the effect of acute PA on the brain and cognitive functions is generally found to be dose-dependent, in terms of both the amount and intensity of the exercise episode. In contrast, in the case of regular PA, the literature has primarily focused on the amount of exercise, and limited studies have assessed the influence of the exercise intensity. Since PA in higher intensity causes more extensive, more powerful, and longer-lasting neurobiological changes, it may prove more beneficial to cognitive functions and mental health. In the present study, we set out to test this hypothesis by employing a battery of questionnaires and laboratory tests with a sample of young adults. We found that more frequent vigorous- and moderate-intensity PA rather than walking (considered low to moderate intensity) was associated with better cognitive and mental health measures. Meanwhile, compared with no moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) at all, as few as 1~2 days per week (lasting at least 10 min each time) of MVPA was associated with a variety of benefits, particularly related to coping with challenging situations. In light of the neurobiological literature, the present study speaks to the value of moderate- to vigorous- rather than low-intensity PA in enhancing cognitive functions and mental health.
体育活动（PA）对大脑的有益影响已经得到充分证实。无论是急性还是定期的体育活动都可以促进一系列认知功能，并改善情绪和心理健康。值得注意的是，急性体育活动对大脑和认知功能的影响通常是剂量依赖性的，无论是运动的量还是强度。相比之下，对于定期的体育活动，文献主要侧重于运动的量，而有限的研究评估了运动强度的影响。由于高强度的体育活动会引起更广泛、更强大和更持久的神经生物学变化，因此它可能对认知功能和心理健康更有益。在本研究中，我们通过对年轻成年人样本进行一系列问卷和实验室测试，来检验这一假设。我们发现，与低强度的散步相比，更频繁的剧烈和中等强度的体育活动（被认为是中低强度）与更好的认知和心理健康测量结果相关。同时，与根本没有中高强度的身体活动（MVPA）相比，每周仅进行 1~2 天（每次至少持续 10 分钟）的 MVPA 与多种益处相关，特别是与应对挑战性情况有关。鉴于神经生物学文献，本研究证明了中高强度而非低强度的 PA 在增强认知功能和心理健康方面的价值。
