Physically active undergraduates perform better on executive‐related oculomotor control: Evidence from the antisaccade task and pupillometry

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that exercise can improve executive function in young and older adults. However, it remains controversial whether a sufficient amount of physical activity leads to higher‐level executive function. To examine the effect of physical activity on executive function, we used eye‐tracking technology and the antisaccade task in 41 young undergraduates with various levels of physical activity. Moreover, we also investigated their differences in cognitive ability by examining their pupil size during the antisaccade task. Eye‐tracking results showed that physically active individuals showed shorter saccade latency and higher accuracy in the antisaccade task than their physically inactive counterparts. Furthermore, the former showed larger pupil size during the preparatory period of antisaccade. These findings suggest that individuals with higher‐level physical activity have higher‐level executive function. The larger pupil sizes of physically active individuals may imply that their locus coeruleus‐norepinephrine system and executive‐related prefrontal cortex are more active, which contributes to their higher‐level cognitive ability.

Look into my eyes: What can eye-based measures tell us about the relationship between physical activity and cognitive performance?

“…Of note, 12 of the 35 studies used cross-sectional designs that investigated associations between regular physical activity, physical fitness, cognitive performance, and eye-based measures. 94 , 95 , 108 , 109 , 110 , 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 , 115 , 116 , 117 Five trials studied the effect of chronic physical training on cognitive performance and eye-based measures, 96 , 118 , 119 , 120 , 121 and 18 studies investigated the influence of an acute bout of physical exercise on cognitive performance and eye-based measures. 92 , 93 , 122 , 123 , 124 , 125 , 126 , 127 , 128 , 129 , 130 , 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 , 135 , 136 , 137 …”

“…CC ▪ ↑ Tonic pupil size EX vs . CC ▪ ↑ Low and positive correlation between phasic pupil size and CRF (i.e., across congruency conditions in EX) Zhou et al (2023) 111 (1) Cross-sectional study (2) PA vs . PIA (3) Healthy younger adults ▪ n = 41 (20 females/21 males) PA: n = 26 (11 females/15 males)/PIA: n = 15 (9 females/6 males) ▪ 21.15 ± 1.15 years (3.1) PA: 5119.23 ± 1489.16 min/week; PIA: 153.60 ± 59.24 min/week (3.2) n.a./n.a./PA: 21.49 ± 1.66 kg/m 2 ; PIA: 21.58 ± 1.44 kg/m 2 (1) n.a.…”

“…Most of the reviewed studies included younger healthy adults with normal cognitive performance (based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the respective studies) who were mainly students and could be classified as recreationally active, 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 108 , 111 , 122 , 123 , 124 , 126 , 127 , 128 , 129 , 130 , 131 , 132 , 135 , 137 whereas 6 of the studies compared different types of younger athletes. 109 , 110 , 114 , 115 , 116 , 136 The remaining trials examined (a) healthy school-aged children, 96 (b) younger adults with mobile phone addiction, 134 (c) healthy community-dwelling older adults, 119 , 125 , 133 (d) older adults with self-reported cognitive complaints 118 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, 121 (e) older adults with objective cognitive impairments, 119 (f) healthy older adults, 113 , 120 or (g) a population with a broad age range from 18 to 60 years 112 ( Table 1 ).…”

“…In 2 of the reviewed studies, phasic pupil size was positively associated with a higher level of cardiorespiratory fitness, 93 , 108 whereas tonic pupil size was positively associated with regular physical activity level. 111 However, Chandler and colleagues 94 observed that a higher level of cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with shorter reaction time (i.e., assessed during a modified Flanker task probing executive functioning) in the 126 healthy college students they recruited. However, they did not observe a correlation between cardiorespiratory fitness level and phasic pupil size, nor did they find evidence for a mediating effect of phasic pupil size between cardiorespiratory fitness level and reaction time.…”

“…Four cross-sectional studies focused on saccadic eye movements, with researchers either examining whether saccadic eye movements varied as a function of the level of regular physical activity 111 or the expertise/skill level in specific sports disciplines (e.g., amateur athletes vs . elite athletes).…”