Background This study explored the effect of running exercises at low [30% heart rate reserve (HRR)] and moderate (60%HRR) intensities on cognitive performances in individuals with intellectual disability (ID). Methods Participants performed randomly reaction time (RT) tests: visual RT [simple RT (SRT) and choice RT (CRT)], auditory SRT (ASRT) and working memory (WM) (Corsi test) before and after the exercises. Results The results showed that after both exercises, SRT decreased significantly (P < 0.001) in both groups with higher extent (P < 0.05) at 60%HRR compared with 30%HRR. CRT decreased (P < 0.01), similarly, after the both exercises in both groups with higher (P < 0.001) extent in the intellectual disability group (IDG). ASRT decreased significantly, at 30% HRR, in IDG (P < 0.001) and in control group (CG) (P < 0.01) with greater extent in IDG (P < 0.001). At 60%HRR, ASRT decreased significantly in both groups (P < 0.001) with greater extent in IDG (P < 0.001). The ΔASRT% was significantly (P < 0.05) higher at 30%HRR compared with 60% HRR in IDG. In CG, no significant (P = 0.21) difference was reported between intensities. The Corsi forward and the Corsi backward scores increased significantly (P < 0.01) in both groups after both intensities with higher extent in IDG (P < 0.01). Conclusions Our results suggest that low and moderate running exercises improve similarly simple and choice visual RT as well as WM in individuals with ID. Furthermore, low-intensity exercise could be more appropriate to enhance ASRT compared the moderate one in these individuals. Therefore, low-intensity exercise seems to be an efficient strategy to improve cognitive performances in individuals with ID.

Background: This study compared the acute effects of aerobic (AE) and resistance (RE) exercise on reaction time (RT) and working memory (WM) in individuals with intellectual disability.Methods: RT tests and Corsi test for WM were performed before and after three intervention sessions: AE, RE, or control session consisting on watching video. Results:The RT values decreased significantly (p < .001) after both of AE and RE with higher extend after the RE but did not vary following the control session. Corsi scores increased significantly (p < .001) after AE but not after RE or control session.Conclusions: These findings suggest that the effects of acute exercise on cognitive function in individuals with intellectual disability depend on the exercise mode as well as the nature of the cognitive task. The RE seems to be more recommended for RT enhancement whereas only the aerobic one could improve WM in these individuals.

This study explored the acute effects of different running intensities on cognitive and motor performances in individuals with intellectual disability (ID). An ID group (age, M = 15.25 years, SD = 2.76) and a control group without ID (age, M = 15.11 years, SD = 1.54) performed visual simple and choice reaction times, auditory simple reaction time, and finger tapping tests before and after running at low or moderate intensity (30% and 60% of heart rate reserve [HRR], respectively). Visual simple reaction time values decreased (p < .001) after both intensities at all time points with higher (p = .007) extend after the 60% HRR intensity for both groups. After both intensities, the VCRT decreased (p < .001) in the ID group at all time points compared with preexercise (Pre-EX) while, in the control group, these values decreased (p < .001) only immediately (IM-EX) and after 10 min (Post-10) of exercise cessation. Compared withs Pre-EX, in the ID group, the auditory simple reaction time values decreased (p < .001) at all time points after the 30% HHR intensity whereas, after the 60% HRR, these values decreased only at IM-EX (p < .001), Post-10 (p = .001) and Post-20 (p < .001). In the control group, auditory simple reaction time values decreased (p = .002) only after the 30% HRR intensity at IM-EX. The finger tapping test increased at IM-EX (p < .001) and at Post-20 (p = .001) compared to Pre-EX in both groups only after the 30% HHR intensity and for the dominant hand. The effect of physical exercise on cognitive performances in individuals with ID seems to depend on the cognitive test type as well as the exercise intensity.