The Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Speed and Accuracy Task Components in Motor Learning

Abstract

Acute exercise has an influence on human cognition, and both theoretical approaches and previous investigations suggest that the learning process can be facilitated. A distinction has been made however, between the predominately positive effects on task speed compared to both the negative and null effects on aspects of task accuracy. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise conducted before each practice trial (3 × week) for a period of four weeks, on speed and accuracy components in a novel keyboard typing task. To this end, young adults (n = 26) where randomized to a non-exercise resting group (control) or an exercise group (ergometer cycling at 65% of age-predicted maximal heart rate). Immediately after exercise or resting, participants practiced keyboard typing through specialized online software for a total of 2 h across the study period. All participants improved their speed and accuracy in the keyboard typing task. At 7-day retention, no differences were found between groups. Thus, the degree of improvement on both speed and accuracy task components was not significantly different between the exercise and control group. Further studies are warranted to establish the specific relationship between aerobic exercise and task components in motor learning and retention.

Effect of a Single Bout of Acute Aerobic Exercise at Moderate-to-Vigorous Intensities on Motor Learning, Retention and Transfer

“…It has been suggested that motor learning (consolidation) is best studied at various intervals of delayed retention [67] However, previous acute exercise learning studies that have applied 24-h and 7-day retention intervals did not find differences between these timepoints [6,32,55,58]. In a previous study, we did not find any effect of aerobic exercise on 7-day retention after a 4-week practice period [68]. The potential for exercise-induced long-term effects on motor learning thus awaits further work.…”

Exercise-induced fatigue impairs visuomotor adaptability in physical education students

“…Similar to our procedure, the experiments include both an exercise and a non-exercise resting control group. All participants in the Standa et al [33] study showed an improvement in both speed and accuracy during the keyboard typing task. However, the range of improvement on both speed and accuracy task parameters did not significantly differ between the exercise and control groups in the retention test.…”

“…Similarly, Singh et al [32] used a moderate-intensity exercise protocol to assess response time during a bimanual task and did not obtain any significant differences between the exercise and control groups. A recent study by Stranda et al [33] found no effects of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (i.e., 65 % HRmax) conducted before each practice trial (3x/ week for 4 weeks) on speed and accuracy parameters in a novel keyboard typing task. Similar to our procedure, the experiments include both an exercise and a non-exercise resting control group.…”

Cardiovascular exercise and motor learning in non-disabled individuals: A systematic review with a behavioral emphasis

“…From the 30 non-fatigue studies investigating the cardiovascular effects on motor learning, 19 demonstrated some positive effects from cardiovascular exercise on motor performance 20,32,33 or learning 21,[33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50] . In the 30 studies investigating the effects of cardiovascular exercise (without excessive fatigue) on motor learning (retention test), some of them reported null effects 20,32,[51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59] , but anyone demonstrated adverse effects. Therefore, it can be supposed that the evidence that cardiovascular exercise enhances motor learning has a level of 4 (conflicting results).…”