The Impact of Acute Exercise Timing on Memory Interference

Abstract

This study evaluated whether the timing of acute exercise can attenuate a memory interference effect. Across two experiments, participants completed an AB/AC memory task. Participants studied eight word pairs; four denoted AB (e.g., Hero – Apple) and four control (DE) pairs. Following this List 1, participants studied eight additional word pairs (List 2); four denoted AC, re-using words from the AB pairs (e.g., Hero – Project) and four control (FG) pairs. Following their study of both lists, participants completed a cued recall assessment. In Experiment 1 (N = 100), an acute exercise bout occurred before the AB/AC memory interference task, and the participants’ three lab visits (successive conditions) were control, moderate-intensity (50% HRR; heart rate reserve) exercise, and vigorous-intensity (80% HRR) exercise. In Experiment 2 (N = 68), the acute exercise occurred between List 1 and List 2, and the participants’ two lab visits (successive conditions) were a (80% HRR) vigorous-intensity exercise visit and a control visit. Across both experiments, we observed evidence of both proactive and retroactive interference ( p < .05), but acute exercise, regardless of intensity, did not attenuate this interference ( p > .05). Acute moderate-intensity exercise was better than control or vigorous-intensity exercise in enhancing associative memory ( p < .05), independent of interference. In Experiment 2, vigorous intensity exercise was associated with more pronounced interference ( p < .05). Our results suggest that acute exercise can enhance associative memory performance, with no attenuation of interference by exercise.

A Review of Cognitive Changes During Acute Aerobic Exercise

“…Vigorous intensity-exercise improved memory in five studies ( Hötting et al, 2016 ; van Dongen et al, 2016 ; Keyan and Bryant, 2017a , b ; Loprinzi et al, 2021 ), and not in five studies ( van Dongen et al, 2016 ; Keyan and Bryant, 2017a ; Silvers et al, 2018 ; Loprinzi et al, 2021 ). Vigorous-intensity exercise also increased memory interference ( Crawford et al, 2021 ). Similarly, near-maximal-intensity exercise both improved and did not influence memory ( Frith et al, 2017 ).…”

“…Fifteen minutes of near-maximal-intensity, short-duration exercise enhanced 20-min and 24-h delayed verbal memory as well as prospective memory when performed before encoding, but not during or after encoding ( Frith et al, 2017 ). Fifteen minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise also increased memory interference 5 min after exercise, relative to rest ( Crawford et al, 2021 ). Twenty minutes vigorous-intensity exercise did not influence incidental or intentional encoding immediately or 30 min after exercise ( Loprinzi et al, 2021 ), but enhanced verbal recall through encoding and retrieval in Experiment 1 and consolidation in Experiment 2 ( Loprinzi et al, 2021 ).…”

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

“…When appropriate, the integration of these disciplines with exercise science may be useful in comprehensively evaluating the plausible underlying mechanisms. For example, and although findings are mixed for declarative memory [ 108 , 109 , 110 , 111 ], exercise has been shown to improve procedural memory performance by attenuating memory interference [ 112 , 113 , 114 ], which could be explored through the lens of psychology and cognitive neuroscience [ 110 , 115 ].…”

The beneficial effects of physical exercise on visuospatial working memory in preadolescent children

“…According to current knowledge, PE is a protective factor for different pathologies and mental disorders, such as anxiety and depression and it is an effective weapon to counteract physiological and pathological aging [6] , [7] . Many studies have focused on understanding the biological mechanisms that regulate the phenomena of neuroplasticity induced by PE [5] , as well as on correlating PE and improvement of cognitive functions [8] . While in adults these issues have been extensively investigated and the ongoing research is in an attempt to understand which type of PE is needed to produce beneficial effects (i.e.…”