Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Seville, E-41013 Seville, Spain.
Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, E-41013 Seville, Spain.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Nov 6;17(21):8216. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17218216.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is considered one of the most effective methods for improving cardiorespiratory and metabolic functions. However, it is necessary to clarify their effects on neurophysiological responses and coginitive functioning. Thus, this study aimed to determine the effects of an acute bout of HIIT on neurocognitive and stress-related biomarkers and their association with working memory (WM) capacity in healthy young adults. Twenty-five male college students performed a single bout of HIIT consisting of 10 × 1 min of cycling at their VO peak power output. Plasma Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and cortisol (CORT) levels, and WM (Digit Span Test (DST)), were assessed pre-, post- and 30 min post-intervention. Significant post-exercise increases in circulating BDNF and CORT levels were observed coinciding with the highest DST performance; however, no statistical associations were found between cognitive and neurophysiological variables. Moreover, DST scores obtained 30 min after exercise remained higher than those assessed at pre-exercise. In conclusion, the stress induced by a single bout of HIIT induces a remarkable response of BDNF and CORT boosting WM capacity in healthy young males. Future research should clarify the association between cognitive and neurobiological markers during intense exercise stimulation.
高强度间歇训练（HIIT）被认为是改善心肺和代谢功能的最有效方法之一。然而，有必要明确其对神经生理反应和认知功能的影响。因此，本研究旨在确定急性 HIIT 对健康年轻成年人的神经认知和应激相关生物标志物的影响及其与工作记忆（WM）能力的关系。25 名男性大学生进行了一次 HIIT 运动，包括以 VO 峰值功率输出骑行 10 次，每次 1 分钟。在干预前、干预后和干预后 30 分钟评估血浆脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）和皮质醇（CORT）水平以及 WM（数字跨度测试（DST））。运动后循环 BDNF 和 CORT 水平显著升高，与 DST 表现的最高水平一致；然而，在认知和神经生理变量之间没有发现统计学关联。此外，运动后 30 分钟的 DST 评分仍高于运动前的评分。总之，单次 HIIT 引起的应激会引起 BDNF 和 CORT 的显著反应，从而提高健康年轻男性的 WM 能力。未来的研究应阐明在剧烈运动刺激期间认知和神经生物学标志物之间的关联。
