Lauren B Raine1, Katherine McDonald2, Tatsuya T Shigeta2, Shu-Shih Hsieh2, Jennifer Hunt2, Nathan A Chiarlitti3, Michelle Lim2, Kristen Gebhardt2, Nina Collins4, Michael De Lisio3, Sean P Mullen5,6, Arthur F Kramer2,6, Charles Hillman2,7. 1. Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, 635 ISEC, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. l.raine@northeastern.edu. 2. Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, 635 ISEC, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. 3. School of Human Kinetics and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. 4. Tufts University, Medford, USA. 5. Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, USA. 6. Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, USA. 7. Department of Physical Therapy, Movement, & Rehabilitation Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is an increasing prevalence of physical inactivity during childhood, which is associated with a variety of health problems. However, the mechanisms by which acute exercise benefits cognition in childhood remains unknown. Here we describe the protocol for a randomized crossover trial called SNEACY (Sympathetic Nervous System & Exercise Affects Cognition in Youth), a study designed to better understand mechanisms linking acute exercise and cognition in 9-10-year-old healthy, cognitively normal children. METHODS: Children from the Greater Boston, MA region will be recruited to participate in this single center study. A randomized crossover design will be utilized, such that participants will act as their own controls, through initial randomization to condition assignment and condition counterbalancing across participants. One hundred three children will participate in three randomized acute interventions: moderate intensity treadmill exercise (20 min, 70-75% of their maximal heart rate), seated rest (20 min), and a Trier Social Stress Test for Children (14 min). These visits will occur on 3 three separate days, approximately 5-8 days apart. Before and after each intervention, children complete a variety of cognitive tasks measuring attentional inhibition while their neuroelectric activity is recorded. Variables of interest include EEG data, accuracy and reaction time, academic achievement, and salivary alpha amylase. Academic achievement is also assessed following interventions. In addition, children provide passive drool samples throughout the interventions to measure various biomarkers that may explain the acute exercise benefit on cognition. DISCUSSION: The results from this study could influence educational and public health recommendations to enhance cognition and learning in pre-adolescent children. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03592238 . Registered on 19 July 2018.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: There is an increasing prevalence of physical inactivity during childhood, which is associated with a variety of health problems. However, the mechanisms by which acute exercise benefits cognition in childhood remains unknown. Here we describe the protocol for a randomized crossover trial called SNEACY (Sympathetic Nervous System & Exercise Affects Cognition in Youth), a study designed to better understand mechanisms linking acute exercise and cognition in 9-10-year-old healthy, cognitively normal children. METHODS:Children from the Greater Boston, MA region will be recruited to participate in this single center study. A randomized crossover design will be utilized, such that participants will act as their own controls, through initial randomization to condition assignment and condition counterbalancing across participants. One hundred three children will participate in three randomized acute interventions: moderate intensity treadmill exercise (20 min, 70-75% of their maximal heart rate), seated rest (20 min), and a Trier Social Stress Test for Children (14 min). These visits will occur on 3 three separate days, approximately 5-8 days apart. Before and after each intervention, children complete a variety of cognitive tasks measuring attentional inhibition while their neuroelectric activity is recorded. Variables of interest include EEG data, accuracy and reaction time, academic achievement, and salivary alpha amylase. Academic achievement is also assessed following interventions. In addition, children provide passive drool samples throughout the interventions to measure various biomarkers that may explain the acute exercise benefit on cognition. DISCUSSION: The results from this study could influence educational and public health recommendations to enhance cognition and learning in pre-adolescent children. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03592238 . Registered on 19 July 2018.