A large body of research now supports the positive impact of long-term exercise on brain structures, cognitive functioning, and mental health. Less is known about how a single bout of exercise impacts our long-term memory.
The aim of my current research is to assess if brief high-intensity exercise before or after studying most impacts long-term verbal memory. This study also seeks to determine if exercise-induced lactate may influence our ability to retain information. It is known that lactate produced in the muscle can cross the blood-brain barrier. Research in rodents has found that lactate has a positive impact on spatial memory, but we don’t know as much about this relationship in humans. The results from this study could lead to advantageous findings on the educational setting and beyond, allowing people to maximize retention of need-to-know information and guiding them to the ideal timing for exercise.
If you are local to the Colorado Front Range, and interested in participating, please fill out this brief screening form. Participation involves two visits (45-60min), spaced 48 hours apart. All results are made anonymous and kept confidential. The 1st session includes part 1 of a memory task and 10-minutes of either running or stretching. The 2nd session includes part 2 of the memory task and a fitness step test used to estimate aerobic capacity (VO2max). Lactate samples will be taken with a finger prick blood sample at both sessions.
I'm a professor of anatomy & physiology and a PhD candidate studying the effects of exercise on cognition. Preaching what I practice, you can usually find me running trails in beautiful Colorado. I’m a passionate proponent of the mind-body connection, and love spreading current understanding in the field to a broader audience. Thanks for reading!
Exercise On The Mind 