The Effect of Aerobic Exercise and Gaming on Cognitive Performance

July 9, 2016 updated by: Peter Douris, New York Institute of Technology
Many studies have examined the effects of aerobic exercise and playing video games effects on cognitive performance, which results of which have shown to increase cognitive performance. Presently, there is limited research regarding the effects of the combination of gaming and exercise on cognitive performance. The purpose of our study is to investigate the effects of playing video games, aerobic exercise, and a combination of gaming and aerobic exercise on cognitive performance. Forty healthy subjects, males and females (18-30 years old) who perform moderate exercise at least two times a week will comprise our sample. The study will be a randomized clinical trial with four independent variables: playing video games, aerobic exercise, a combination of simultaneous gaming and aerobic exercise and a control condition. Aerobic exercise will be performed at an intensity of 60 to 70% of maximum heart rate on a Monarch Lower Body Ergometer. Brain Age Game: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! will be played on Nintendo 3DS. Executive function will be measured using the Stroop test and Trails B pre and posttest. Analysis of variance for Stroop test and Trails B will be used. In the event of significant F statistics, a post hoc test analysis will be used. The investigators hypothesize a combination of aerobic exercise and simultaneous gaming will produce the greatest increase in cognitive performance. Furthermore, these beneficial changes can be utilized in rehabilitation protocols designed to improve cognitive functioning.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study will include 40 subjects, males and females, aged 18-30 years old. Subjects will consist of trained individuals whom log at least two days/week of moderate exercise. The source of participants will come from New York Institute of Technology community. Participants will be selected according to the inclusion/exclusion criteria.Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Age range: 18-30 years
  2. Good overall health
  3. Exercise at least two days/week

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Any cardiopulmonary conditions including asthma within the last 6 months.
  2. Any major musculoskeletal injuries (i.e. torn ligaments, bone fractures, etc.) over the last 6 months.
  3. Any other health issues that would interfere with a subject's safety during exercise.
  4. Any auditory/vestibular impairments.
  5. Uncorrected visual problems.

Dr. Douris will be taking the medical history for each prospective subject in order to evaluate for the presence of any of the exclusion criteria. We will use the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) and our own medical questionnaire. All volunteers will sign the informed consent before participation in the study.

Each subject will require one hour to be tested and to undertake their specific condition which will be randomly assigned. Upon consent form completion subjects will be instructed on how the Stroop and Trails B tests will be administered. The Stroop tests: the subject will be asked to read words of colors, state the colors of various letters to test processing speed, and state the color of the font of a word when the actual word describes a conflicting color to test response inhibition (executive functioning). The Trails B test: the subject is instructed to connect a set of 25 dots as fast as possible while maintaining accuracy. This test provides information about visual search speed, scanning, speed of processing, mental flexibility, and executive functioning. Both tests take approximately 5 minutes to administer. They have both been utilized extensively in the literature to measure changes in executive function as a result of exercise. The subjects will also familiarize themselves with the Brain Age game at the time of consent. Detailed instructions for each testing day are as followed: Pre and Post testing of the Stroop and Trails B tests will occur after each of the four conditions:1) Aerobic exercise only 2) Aerobic exercise and Gaming simultaneously 3) Gaming only 4) Control condition of sitting quietly for 30 minutes. All testing will take place in the School of Health Professions Research Room, Room 507 of the 500 Building.

Acute Bouts of Aerobic Exercise:Participants will perform 30 minutes of cycling at an intensity of 60 to 70% of maximum heart rate based on 220 - their age. The aerobic exercise will utilize a Monarch 818E Monarch Lower Body Ergometer (Monark Exercise, Stockholm, Sweden). Participant's heart rate will be monitored using Polar heart rate monitor.

Acute Bouts of Video Game:Participants will play Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! on Nintendo 3DS for 30 minutes in a seated resting position.

Acute Bouts of both Aerobic Exercise and Video Games :Participants will perform 30 minutes of cycling at an intensity of 60 to 70% of maximum heart rate based on 220 minus their age on a Monarch ergometer while playing Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! on a Nintendo 3DS. Participant's heart rate will be monitored using Polar heart rate.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
40

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • New York
      • Old Westbury, New York, United States, 11568
        • New York Institute of Technology

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 30 years (ADULT)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Age range: 18-30 years
  2. Good overall health
  3. Exercise at least two days/week

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Any cardiopulmonary conditions including asthma within the last 6 months.
  2. Any major musculoskeletal injuries (i.e. torn ligaments, bone fractures, etc.) over the last 6 months.
  3. Any other health issues that would interfere with a subject's safety during exercise.
  4. Any auditory/vestibular impairments.
  5. Uncorrected visual problems.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
  • Allocation: RANDOMIZED
  • Interventional Model: PARALLEL
  • Masking: SINGLE

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
EXPERIMENTAL: Aerobic Exercise
Participants will perform 30 minutes of cycling at an intensity of 60 to 70% of maximum heart rate based on 220 - their age. The aerobic exercise will utilize a Monarch 818E Monarch Lower Body Ergometer (Monark Exercise, Stockholm, Sweden). Participant's heart rate will be monitored using Polar heart rate monitor.
Other: Aerobic exercise
The research design used will be a randomized control trial using a Latin square in order to randomize the treatment conditions. Subjects will take one of four conditions: 1) Aerobic exercise only 2) Aerobic exercise and Gaming simultaneously 3) Gaming only 4) Sitting quietly. All the conditions will take 30 minutes. The independent variables are the four conditions and the dependent variables are the Stroop test and modified Trails B which measure executive function.
EXPERIMENTAL: Video Gaming
Participants will play Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! on Nintendo 3DS for 30 minutes in a seated resting position.
Other: Video Gaming
The research design used will be a randomized control trial using a Latin square in order to randomize the treatment conditions. Subjects will take one of four conditions: 1) Aerobic exercise only 2) Aerobic exercise and Gaming simultaneously 3) Gaming only 4) Sitting quietly. All the conditions will take 30 minutes. The independent variables are the four conditions and the dependent variables are the Stroop test and modified Trails B which measure executive function.
EXPERIMENTAL: Aerobic Exercise and Video Gaming
Participants will perform 30 minutes of cycling at an intensity of 60 to 70% of maximum heart rate based on 220 minus their age on a Monarch ergometer while playing Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! on a Nintendo 3DS. Participant's heart rate will be monitored using Polar heart rate.
Other: Aerobic exercise and Video Gaming
The research design used will be a randomized control trial using a Latin square in order to randomize the treatment conditions. Subjects will take one of four conditions: 1) Aerobic exercise only 2) Aerobic exercise and Gaming simultaneously 3) Gaming only 4) Sitting quietly. All the conditions will take 30 minutes. The independent variables are the four conditions and the dependent variables are the Stroop test and modified Trails B which measure executive function.
PLACEBO_COMPARATOR: Control
Participants will sit quietly for 30 minutes
Other: Control
The research design used will be a randomized control trial using a Latin square in order to randomize the treatment conditions. Subjects will take one of four conditions: 1) Aerobic exercise only 2) Aerobic exercise and Gaming simultaneously 3) Gaming only 4) Sitting quietly. All the conditions will take 30 minutes. The independent variables are the four conditions and the dependent variables are the Stroop test and modified Trails B which measure executive function.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The Stroop test
Time Frame: 10 minutes
: the subject will be asked to read words of colors, state the colors of various letters to test processing speed, and state the color of the font of a word when the actual word describes a conflicting color to test response inhibition (executive functioning).
10 minutes
The Trails B test
Time Frame: 10 minutes
: the subject is instructed to connect a set of 25 dots as fast as possible while maintaining accuracy. This test provides information about visual search speed, scanning, speed of processing, mental flexibility, and executive functioning.
10 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
New York Institute of Technology

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 1, 2015

Primary Completion (ACTUAL)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 1, 2016

Study Completion (ACTUAL)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 5, 2015

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 6, 2015

First Posted (ESTIMATE)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 7, 2015

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 12, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 9, 2016

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • BHS-1115

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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