Background: The present study evaluates the effects of selective directed forgetting (SDF) and directed forgetting (DF) on subsequent memory retrieval and investigate whether acute exercise can facilitate the effects of SDF. Methods: A four-arm (n=20 per group; N=80; M age =20 yrs), parallel-group, randomized controlled experiment was employed. The four groups included: 1) exercise plus SDF (Ex+SDF), 2) SDF only (SDF), 3) DF only (DF) and 4) R (remember) only (R). Participants viewed two separate word lists (list 1 and list 2; L1 and L2). Based on group assignment, participants were directed to either forget, selectively forget, or remember List 1. Outcome parameters included the number of words recalled from L1 and L2. Generally, participants directed to forget L1 tend to recall more words from L2. Thus, L1 represents forgetting whereas L2 represents the degree of memory enhancement. The exercise protocol involved a 15-minute bout of moderate-intensity treadmill exercise. Results: We observed a significant main effect for L1 Item-Type (F=18.0, P<.

Background: Previous studies suggest that acute exercise may improve memory function. Few studies, however, have investigated the differential effect of the acute exercise movement patterns on memory. Such an effect is plausible, as research demonstrates that open-skilled exercise (e.g.,racquetball) may have a greater effect on memory-related neurotrophins (e.g., brain-derived neurotrophic factors) when compared to closed-skilled exercise (e.g. treadmill exercise). A key distinction between open- and closed-skilled exercise is that open-skilled exercises are those that require an individual to react in a dynamic way to a changing, unpredictable environment. Our aim in this study was to assess wether retrospective and prospective memory are differentially influenced from open- and closed-skilled acute exercise. Methods: A within-subject design was employed. Participants (Mage = 20.6 years; 69% female)completed two visits, in a counterbalanced order. The two experimental conditions included open-skilled acute exercise (racquetball) and closed-skilled acute exercise (treadmill exercise),each lasting 30-minute at 60% of heart rate reserve (HRR). During both experimental conditions,participants completed short- and long-term assessments of retrospective and prospective memory function. Retrospective memory was evaluated across multiple word-list trials (e.g.,Trials 1-6, 20-minute delay, 24-hour delay). Results: No significant effect of exercise was found on prospective memory. For retrospective memory, there was a significant main effect for condition, F(1, 57) = 5.33, P = 0.02, η2 = 0.004,main effect for trial, F(4.12, 234.9) = 227.85, P < 0.001, η2 = 0.46, but no condition by trial interaction, F(4.63, 264.08) = 1.022, P = 0.40, η2 = 0.002. Conclusion: Retrospective memory was greater after closed-skilled exercise (treadmill) when compared to open-skilled exercise (racquetball).

Retrieving a subset of items from memory can cause forgetting of other related items in memory, referred to as retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF). This type of forgetting (RIF) is thought to be related to working memory and executive control processes, of which are known to be influenced by acute exercise. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether acute exercise could accentuate RIF. A two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled intervention was employed. Participants (N = 40) were randomized into one of two groups, including an experimental group (15-min of moderate-intensity exercise) and a control group (time-matched seated task). Retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) and retrieval practice (RP) were assessed from a category-exemplar memory task. There was no significant main effect for RIF and no group by RIF interaction, suggesting that acute exercise did not alter RIF more than the control group. There was a significant main effect for RP, but there was no group by RP interaction. These RP findings align with the RIF findings, indicating that acute exercise did not alter RP more so than the control group. In conclusion, our experimental results do not provide support for an association of acute exercise on retrieval-induced forgetting or retrieval practice.