Comparison of the effects of open- and closed-skill exercise on cognition and peripheral proteins: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Previous research indicates that different exercise modes might create different effects on cognition and peripheral protein signals. This study aimed to compare the effects of long-term participation in an open and closed-skill exercise on cognitive functions and Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and Cathepsin B levels. 18 fencers, 18 swimmers, 18 sedentary controls between 18–25 years old participated in the study. Participants performed visuospatial working memory, verbal fluency and selective attention tasks. Blood samples were tested for Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and Cathepsin B using ELISA. The results showed that fencers performed superiorly on some part of visuospatial working memory, verbal fluency, and selective attention tasks than swimmers and sedentary controls. Athlete groups showed higher scores on some subtests of visuospatial working memory and selective attention tasks than sedentary controls. The basal serum Brain-derived neurotrophic factor level was not significant between the groups, but Cathepsin B was higher in fencers than swimmers and sedentary controls. The peripheric protein signal response to acute exercise was significantly higher in athletes, particularly in the open-skill group for Cathepsin B. Our research provided noteworthy results that more cognitively challenging exercise may provide more benefits for some aspects of cognition. Since our findings suggest that open-skill exercise improves specific types of executive-control functioning, this exercise mode might be included in training programs to support cognition and prevent cognitive impairment.

The relationship between sport types, sex and visual attention as assessed in a multiple object tracking task

“…Regarding the differences by type of sport, we found that sport type is closely linked to visual attention, with tracking accuracies on the MOT task among basketball athletes being markedly better than those in both the closed skill sport group and the non-athlete group. A plausible explanation for this finding is that open skill athletes have to monitor numerous changing stimuli and continuously shifting positions to excel in their sport (Ong, 2017;Gökçe et al, 2021). In basketball, players have to allocate visual attention to track the targets of the ball, teammates, and opponents while inhibiting irrelevant information over time on the court.…”

High Intensity Acute Aerobic Exercise Elicits Alterations in Circulating and Skeletal Muscle Tissue Expression of Neuroprotective Exerkines

“…Importantly, AE training programs of moderate-to-vigorous intensities for at least 16-weeks demonstrate increases in circulating CTSB in both healthy and cognitively impaired populations [ 24, 31 ]. A unique study by Gökçe et al [ 60 ] examined CTSB responses in a mixed sport, highly trained endurance athlete cohort (average VO 2 max of ∼55 ml/kg/min), and a control cohort (average VO 2 max of ∼45 ml/kg/min) where circulating CTSB was increased in response to moderate intensity exercise by 27– 55% in the athlete groups but only 17% in the control cohort. In parallel to the data presented herein, the non-athlete, recreationally active cohort did not achieve an elevated CTSB response to moderate intensity aerobic exercise.…”

The Relationship Between Exercise, Cathepsin B, and Cognitive Functions: Systematic Review

“…One study had no exercise intervention and assessed the effects of long-term sport participation activity (from 7 to 50 years) (De la Rosa et al, 2019). One study assessed both the effects of long-term exercise (from 5 to 10 years) and acute aerobic exercise (40 minutes, moderate intensity) performed by the same participants (Gokce et al, 2021). One study assessed an acute exercise effect (field hockey match) (Malcolm et al, 2022).…”