Can acute resistance exercise facilitate episodic memory encoding?

Abstract

Research has shown benefits of physical exercise on memory performance when carried out before or after a memory task. The effects of concurrent physical exercise and particularly resistance exercise are still inconclusive. The current study investigates the influence of resistance exercise with two intensities (fast and slow squats) on performance in a wordlist learning task using a within-subject design. Sport students (N = 58, Mage = 23 years; 26 women) were trained in a mnemonic technique to encode word lists (method of loci). In each session they were asked to encode two lists, each consisting of 20 words. During encoding, participants either performed one squat per word (fast-squat-condition), one squat every second word (slow-squat-condition), or stayed seated (control-condition). Participants performed three sessions for each condition, in counterbalanced order. Heart rates differed significantly according to exercise intensity. Memory performances in the sitting condition were better, compared to the exercise conditions. Performance in sitting and the fast squat conditions improved similarly over time, while performance in the slow squat condition increased faster, and reached the level of the fast squat condition at the end of the study phase. We conclude that light to moderate resistance exercise while working on an episodic memory task may rather represent a dual-task situation (= two tasks that compete for attentional resources). Especially doing a squat every second word may represent an inhibition task that people have to get used to. Future studies should include biochemical markers of arousal and neuronal plasticity in addition to heart rate.

Mutual interference between memory encoding and motor skills: the influence of motor expertise

“…The highest MoL costs in previous studies occurred when encoding took place while tracing symbols (about 40% in young adults; Amico and Schaefer, 2020), while walking on complex tracks with obstacles (about 40% in older adults; Li et al, 2000Li et al, , 2001, or while doing squats with every second word (about 35% in young adults; Amico et al, 2023). The cognitive costs of the current studies are considerably higher than that, with about 60% during fast rowing in study 1 and almost 80% for the relatively less-experienced holders of yellow belts in study 2 (see Figure 4).…”

“…Previous studies had used MoL memory encoding in combination with different motor tasks (while walking on easy and complex narrow tracks with and without obstacles: Li et al, 2000Li et al, , 2001; while balancing on an ankle-disc board: Schaefer et al, 2008; while rotating a fidget spinner, doodling, or tracing: Amico and Schaefer, 2020; while doing fast or slow squats: Amico et al, 2023). Participants were children, young, or older adults.…”

Resistance exercising on unstable surface leads to Pupil Dilation

“…As discussed by Amico et al [ 71 ], muscle contractions while squatting may lead to the activation of the LC via the muscle spindle pathway . During muscle contraction, muscle spindles become active and send action potentials to the brainstem.…”

“…During muscle contraction, muscle spindles become active and send action potentials to the brainstem. These ascending signals ensure activation of the LC [ 71 , 72 ].…”

Implications of Physical Exercise on Episodic Memory and Anxiety: The Role of the Serotonergic System

“…Likewise, acute resistance exercise involving knee extension/flexion during the consolidation period of an episodic memory task has demonstrated positive effects, particularly when the memory task has affective valence [84]. However, these effects were not observed when exercise was conducted during the consolidation period [85] or when the exercise intensity was vigorous [86]. Moreover, studies utilizing a research design with four experimental groups have not shown exercise before encoding to be significantly superior to the control group [87].…”