Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thesis Format

Integrated Article

Degree

Master of Science

Program

Neuroscience

Supervisor

Heath, Matthew

Abstract

Executive function (EF) is a cognitive construct supporting activities of daily living. Trait anxiety (TA) is a stable predisposition to experiencing anxiety some work has linked to an EF deficit. In turn, a single bout of aerobic exercise (AE) elicits a postexercise EF benefit and may support improved EF in high TA individuals. My thesis aimed to: 1) compare baseline EF between low- and high-TA groups, and 2) determine whether postexercise EF benefits differ between these groups. Participants completed a 25-min moderate-intensity AE condition and an equivalent duration non-exercise control condition. EF was assessed pre- and post-condition via the antisaccade task. Between-group baseline EF did not differ; however, a positive linear relationship was observed between antisaccade reaction times and an objective measure of TA. Additionally, low- and high-TA groups showed an equivalent magnitude postexercise EF benefit. Thus, exercise serves as a viable tool to “boost” EF independent of TA status.

Summary for Lay Audience

Executive function (EF) refers to a group of cognitive processes that support our ability to plan and implement actions essential to activities of daily living (e.g., cooking a meal). Trait anxiety (TA) is a stable personality characteristic that makes a person more likely to experience anxiety in different situations and increased TA is sometimes linked to reduced EF efficiency. In contrast, research has established that a single bout of aerobic exercise ‘boosts’ EF; however, it is unknown whether the magnitude of this benefit is influenced by TA status. My thesis investigated whether individuals with low- or high-TA demonstrate differences in baseline EF and whether a single bout of aerobic exercise differentially influences EF benefits between the groups. Accordingly, participants (N=31) completed two 25-minute conditions on separate days involving: (1) moderate intensity (64 – 76% of predicted maximum heart rate) exercise riding a stationary bike, and (2) a non-exercise control condition. Prior to and immediately after each condition, participants completed an EF task requiring that they “look” in a direction opposite a target suddenly appearing on a computer monitor (i.e., antisaccade task). The antisaccade task was selected because it provides a simple and non-invasive means to assess the efficiency (i.e., speed) and effectiveness (i.e., accuracy) of an EF-mediated response. Results showed that low- and high-TA groups had an equivalent level of baseline EF performance; however, antisaccade reaction times were positively correlated with an objective measure of TA (i.e., the State Trait Anxiety Inventory). In addition, both groups showed a comparable postexercise EF benefit. Accordingly, my findings provide limited and associative evidence that increased TA contributes to an EF deficit, and more notably demonstrates that a single bout of exercise provides an EF “boost” across the continuum of individuals with low- to high-TA.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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