Outline• Physical health and cognition

• how exercise improve general health?

• physical health vs. brain health

• Sport and cognition (coming soon)

• can elite athletes show superiority in cognitive processing?

• Inside the brain of athletes

Definitions of physical-health-related factors

• Fitness

• A general state of good health, usually as a result of exercise and nutrition

• subcomponents of physical fitness: muscle, cardiovascular..

• Physical activity

• Any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires any energy expenditure

• Physical inactivity is the 4th leading risk factor of global mortality

Why this issue is important?

Wen et al., 2011, The Lancet

The relationship between physical activity volume and mortality reduction compared with individuals in the inactive group

A prospective cohort study with 416175 individuals from 1996 to 2008 in Taiwan

The relation between exercise and cognition

Animal models

Exercise improve learning and memory in mice

Vaynman & Gomez-Pinilla et al., 2006, J. Neuro. Res.

Robinson & Bucci, 2014, Neuroscience

Liu et al., 2009, J. Physiol.

The relation between exercise and cognitionHuman studies

Insights into the brain across lifespan

Craik & Bialystok, 2006, Trend. Cog. Neurosci.

Active lifestyle vs. reaction times in elderly adults

• Reaction time (RT) tasks have often been used to assess cognitive performance in adult adults

Spirduso, 1975, J. Gerontol.

150

190

230

270

310

Simple RT Choice RT

Young Active oldInactive old

RT in

ms

aerobic training group

control group

6 months

Pre-test Post-test

Selective benefits of physical exercise for cognitive functioning

Impulsive Stopping Cognitive Switching

Conflict solving

Impulsive Stopping Cognitive Switching

Conflict solving

Kramer et al, 1999, Nature

Selective benefits of physical exercise for cognitive functioning

Kramer et al, 1999, Nature

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compatible� incompatible�

What is the neural

mechanisms

Structural imaging approaches

Colcombe et al., 2006, J. Gerontol. Med. Sci.

blue areas = Gray matter; Yellow areas = White matter

Flank Effects

A---->舉左手B---->不舉手C---->舉右手

A CB

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看中間字母做舉手反應

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Functional imaging approaches

Colcombe et al., 2004, PNAS

Functional imaging approaches

Hillman et al., 2004, Res. Quart. Exer. Sport

latency

amplitude

late

ncy

Ampl

itude

Greater memory performance and hippocampus volumes in higher-fitness children

53

55

57

59

61

Low-fit High-fit

Mem

ory

perfo

rman

ce (d

’)

6200

6700

7200

7700

8200

Low-fit High-fit

Volu

me

(mm

3)

Chaddock et al., 2010, Brain Res.

Afterschool physical activity may benefit working memory in children

Kamijo et al., 2011, Dev. Sci.

Greater physical fitness is associated with better academic performance in children

Catelli et al., 2007, J. Sport Exer. Psychol.

BMI Subcomponents

Another approach

acute effect of exercise on cognitive performance

Acute exercise improves neurocognitive performance

Hillman et al., 2003, Int. J. Psychophysiol.

Acute exercise improves neurocognitive and academic performance

Hillman et al., 2009, Neuroscience

Acute exercise improves neurocognitive and academic performance

Hillman et al., 2009, Neuroscience

copy from Hillman’s research presentation

Interesting problems in Taiwan

WHO 2011 recommendations of physical activity• Children aged 5 - 17 years

• 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity

• 3 times per week

• aerobic activities or those help strengthen muscle and bone

• Adults aged 18 - 64 years

• at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity

• at least 2 days/week of muscle-strengthening activities involving major muscle groups

• Older adults aged 65 and above

• at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity

• at least 3 times/week of physical activity with balance improvement

• at least 3 muscle-strengthening activities involving major muscle groups

• As could as possible

Take home messages

• Exercise may help maintain or improve brain functions in elderly adults

• Children with higher levels of fitness may have greater cognitive functions and better academic achievement

• Why you sit here??

Exams

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Thank you for your attention!