Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training Exercise on Cognitive Function of Young Adults

The Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training Exercise on Cognitive Function of Young Adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

To explore the sustainability of the acute effect of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on executive function in young adults.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Young Healthy Adults
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: High Intensity Interval Training

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 70
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Freddy Man Hin LAM, PhD; Phone Number: +852 27666720; Email: freddy-mh.lam@polyu.edu.hk

Study Locations

• Hong Kong
  • Hung Hom, Hong Kong
    • Recruiting
    • The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
    • Contact: Freddy Man Hin LAM; Phone Number: +852 27666720; Email: freddy-mh.lam@polyu.edu.hk

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Young adult aged 18-40 years old
• No visionary defect or other sensory condition including uncorrected refractive defect and color blindness refraining the individual to be assessed by the tasks

Exclusion Criteria:

• With known neurological, cardiovascular, or other physical and mental conditions that limit the ability to safely participate in high-intensity interval training
• With known specific learning disabilities
• Known drug or alcohol abuse problems

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: HIIT Arm; Participants will receive a single session of HIIT, which lasts for 19 minutes	Other: High Intensity Interval Training; Participants will receive a single session of HIIT, which last for 19 minutes in duration. During the HIIT session, participants will complete 2 minutes stretching warm-up exercise, followed by a video of exercises which will be projected on the screen to facilitate the participants to follow. The exercise in the video involves various combinations of aerobic and core resistance exercise such as squat jump, jump lunge, push up, burpee, mountain climber etc. The exercise involved bodyweight or minimal basic equipment only, the workout to rest ratio is 45 secs: 15 secs. Participants' heart rate will be kept surveillance and to maintain their respective heart rate attained 85% of aged predicted maximal heart rate during the workout period.
No Intervention: Control Arm; Participants will be arranged to rest quietly on a chair for 19 minutes.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Stroop task	Stroop Task is a neurocognitive test for the performance on inhibition control. Participants are shown a series of word colors that are either congruent or incongruent with the color of the word itself. The participant is required to respond to the color of the word and not the word itself.	From baseline to 72 hours post intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Flanker Task	Flanker Task is a neurocognitive test for the performance on inhibition control. Participants are shown a series of arrows. The participant is to respond to which way the center arrow is pointing; whether it is to the right or to the left	From baseline to 72 hours post intervention
Trail making test (TMT)	TMT is a neurocognitive test for the performance on cognitive flexibility. There are part A and part B in the TMT. The time required to completed part A as well as part B would be recorded separately, the difference in time in completing part B and part A (B-A) and the ratio of time in completing part A and part B (B/A) would be used as the interference score.	From baseline to 72 hours post intervention
Wisconsin Card Sorting test (WCST)	WCST is a neurocognitive test for the performance on cognitive flexibility. Participants will be presented with four response cards, which are of different geometric properties (number of objects, color of object and shape of objects), and one stimulus card at a time. Participants will be required to sort the stimulus card. There are 30 trials in the test, number of correct sorting will be recorded, and accuracy will be obtained as number of correct sorting divided by 30.	From baseline to 72 hours post intervention
Change in accuracy as measured by the 2-back task	2-back task is a neurocognitive test for the performance on working memory. Participants are presented with a sequence of stimuli in character form. The task consists of indicating when the current stimulus matches the one from 2 steps earlier in the sequence. There are 48 trials in the task, the number of correct responses will be recorded. The accuracy will be obtained as number of correct responses divided by 39.	From baseline to 72 hours post intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 29, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 29, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): October 1, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 1, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 29, 2024
• Last Verified: September 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: High Intensity Interval Training; Executive Functions; Young Healthy Adults
• Other Study ID Numbers: HSEARS20231129004

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No