The Effects of Acute Moderate and High Intensity Exercise on Memory

Abstract

Acute cardiovascular exercise can enhance correct remembering but its impact upon false remembering is less clear. In two experiments, we investigated the effect of acute bouts of exercise on correct and false remembering using the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) memory test. In Experiment 1, healthy adults completed quiet rest or moderate intensity cycling prior to the memory test. In Experiment 2, a similar sample completed moderate intensity running, high intensity sprints, or a period of quiet rest prior to the memory test. In Experiment 1, acute moderate intensity exercise increased short-term correct, but not false, recall. Experiment 2 replicated these findings but also found an acute bout of high intensity exercise had no impact upon either type of shortterm recall. Acute moderate intensity exercise, but not acute high intensity exercise, can improve short-term correct recall without an accompanying increase in false recall potentially through processing of contextually specific information during encoding.

Moderate physical activity alters the estimation of time, but not space

“…For example, while moderate physical exercise improves response times for executive functions tasks, vigorous exercise impairs accuracy in the same tasks (Cantelon and Giles, 2021). Similarly, Marchant et al (2020) reported that moderate, but not vigorous physical exercise improved short-term memory recall without increasing false recall. This evidence indicates different effects of exercise intensity on cognitive functions, with more consistent beneficial effects being observed for moderate levels of exercise (Cantelon and Giles, 2021).…”

Acute and Chronic Exercise Effects on Human Memory: What We Know and Where to Go from Here

“…Even maximal-intensity exercise may provide superior benefits for long-term memory function [ 41 ]. There are conflicting findings, however, as some research suggests that moderate-intensity acute exercise may be optimal in enhancing memory [ 67 , 68 ]. In a meta-analysis of cognition in general (i.e., not specific to memory), the findings from Chang et al [ 14 ] show that the optimal exercise intensity may differ depending on how long post-exercise the cognitive measure is assessed.…”

“…There is some evidence to suggest that acute exercise favors visuospatial memory for short-term memories, whereas acute exercise more strongly benefits verbal–auditory and procedural long-term memory [ 15 ]. Interestingly, research has also started to explore the effects of acute exercise on other distinct memory types, such as implicit memory [ 79 , 80 ], emotional memory [ 81 , 82 , 83 ], and false memory [ 67 , 84 , 85 ]. We also need additional exercise and memory research that comprehensively evaluates and integrates each of the constituents of episodic memory, namely the “what”, “where”, and “when” aspects of episodes [ 86 ].…”

Using a smartphone on the move: do visual constraints explain why we slow walking speed?

“…Previous research has shown that working memory may be affected during periods of acute exercise (Marchant et al 2020 ). Thus, an alternative interpretation for the inter-individual variations (described above) relates to the differing impact that walking may have had on an individual’s working memory.…”