Relationship of Cognitive Function with Oxygenated Haemoglobin Concentration Difference Between the Left and Right Prefrontal Cortex During 40-Min Moderate-Intensity Exercise.

The high concentration of oxygenated haemoglobin (OHb) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during exercise improves cognitive performance. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the relationship of cognitive function with the OHb concentration difference between the left and right PFC (L-PFC and R-PFC, respectively) during sustained exercise. We enrolled 12 healthy adult males who, after a 4-min rest and warm-up, performed a 40-min exercise regime at a workload corresponding to 50% maximal oxygen consumption. A 2-back task was performed, and the reaction times (RTs) were recorded before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 20 min after exercise. Near-infrared spectroscopy was used to monitor L-PFC and R-PFC. RT was shortened immediately and 20 min after exercise, and OHb concentration difference between L-PFC and R-PFC positively correlated with RT 20 min after exercise. These findings suggest that 40-min exercise induced a phenomenon of neural compensation.