Acute Exercise on Memory Function: Open vs. Closed Skill Exercise

Author

Justin CantrelleFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-8-2020

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Department

Health, Exercise Science, and Recreation Management

First Advisor

Paul Loprinzi

Second Advisor

Ling Xin

Third Advisor

Mark Loftin

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

Accumulating research suggests that acute exercise may enhance memory function. Limited research, however, has evaluated whether the movement patterns of acute exercise may have a differential effect on memory. Such an effect is plausible, as research demonstrates that open-skilled exercise (e.g., racquetball) may have a greater effect on memory-related neurotrophins (e.g., brain-derived neurotrophic factors) when compared to closed-skilled exercise (e.g. treadmill exercise). A key distinction between open- and closed-skilled exercise is that open-skilled exercises are those that require an individual to react in a dynamic way to a changing, unpredictable environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether retrospective is differentially influenced from open- and closed-skilled acute exercise. A within-subject design was employed. Participants (M_age = 20.6 yrs; 69% female) completed two visits, in a counterbalanced order. The two experimental conditions included open-skilled acute exercise (racquetball) and closed-skilled acute exercise (treadmill exercise), each lasting 30-min at 60% of heart rate reserve. During both experimental conditions, retrospective memory was evaluated across multiple word-list trials (e.g., Trials 1-6, 20-min delay, 24-hr delay). For retrospective memory, there was a significant main effect for condition, F(1, 57) = 5.33, p = .02, η² = .004, main effect for trial, F(4.12, 234.9) = 227.85, p < .001, η² = .46, but no condition by trial interaction, F(4.63, 264.08) = 1.022, p = .40, η² = .002. Retrospective memory was greater after closed-skilled exercise (treadmill) when compared to open-skilled exercise (racquetball).

Recommended Citation

Cantrelle, Justin, "Acute Exercise on Memory Function: Open vs. Closed Skill Exercise" (2020). Honors Theses. 1367.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/1367

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