Clinical Neuropsychology Section, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Emma Neuroscience Group, Department of Pediatrics, Amsterdam Reproduction & Development, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Dev Sci. 2021 Mar;24(2):e13019. doi: 10.1111/desc.13019. Epub 2020 Aug 10.
Previous research in children has shown that higher cardiovascular fitness is related to better executive functioning. However, the available literature is hampered by methodological limitations. The present study investigates the relationship between cardiovascular fitness and executive functioning in a large sample of healthy children (N = 814). Cardiovascular fitness was assessed with estimated VO2Max from 20 m Shuttle Run Test performance. Executive functioning was assessed using a set of computerized neurocognitive tasks aimed at executive functions (working memory, motor inhibition, interference control) and lower-level neurocognitive functions (information processing and attention). Dependent measures derived from the neurocognitive tests were subjected to principal component analysis. Mixed model analyses tested the relation between cardiovascular fitness and neurocognitive functioning components. Results showed that children with higher cardiovascular fitness performed better on the neurocognitive function components Information Processing and Control, Visuospatial Working Memory and Attention Efficiency. The following measures contained in these components contributed to the observed relations: information processing measures, visuospatial working memory, and speed of alerting attention. No relationship was found between cardiovascular fitness and the other components: Verbal Working Memory, Attention Accuracy, and Interference Control. The present study suggests that there is a relationship between cardiovascular fitness and a specific set of executive functions and lower level neurocognitive functions. These findings highlight the importance of cardiovascular fitness for the overall health of school-aged children.
先前在儿童群体中的研究表明，较高的心血管健康水平与更好的执行功能相关。然而，现有文献受到方法学限制的阻碍。本研究在一个健康儿童的大样本中（N=814），调查了心血管健康水平与执行功能之间的关系。心血管健康水平通过 20 米穿梭跑测试的估计最大摄氧量（VO2Max）进行评估。执行功能使用一组旨在评估执行功能（工作记忆、运动抑制、干扰控制）和较低水平认知功能（信息处理和注意力）的计算机化神经认知任务进行评估。神经认知测试的因变量经过主成分分析。混合模型分析测试了心血管健康与神经认知功能成分之间的关系。结果表明，心血管健康水平较高的儿童在信息处理和控制、视空间工作记忆和注意力效率等神经认知功能成分上表现更好。这些成分中的以下指标有助于观察到的关系：信息处理指标、视空间工作记忆和警觉注意力速度。心血管健康水平与其他成分（言语工作记忆、注意力准确性和干扰控制）之间没有关系。本研究表明，心血管健康水平与特定的执行功能和较低水平的认知功能之间存在关系。这些发现强调了心血管健康对学龄儿童整体健康的重要性。
