AbstractThe present investigation examined the sexual dimorphic patterns of cardiorespiratory fitness to working memory in preadolescent children (age range: 7.7–10.9). Data were collected in three separate studies (Study 1: n = 97, 42 females; Study 2: n = 95, 45 females; Study 3: n = 84, 37 females). All participants completed a cardiorespiratory fitness assessment in addition to a specific measure of working memory (i.e. the operation span task, the n‐back task, or the Sternberg task). Results from all three samples revealed that higher cardiorespiratory fitness levels were associated with better working memory performance only for males with no such relation observed for females. In addition, the sexually dimorphic pattern was selective for the most challenging working memory conditions in each task. Together, these findings reveal new evidence that cardiorespiratory fitness is selectively related to better working memory performance for male children. This investigation provides additional insight into how interventions aimed at improving fitness may influence cognitive development differentially among preadolescent children.
AbstractThe present study aims (i) to examine the association of physical fitness components (i.e., cardiorespiratory fitness, speed‐agility, and muscular fitness) with brain current source density during working memory; and (ii) to examine whether fitness‐related current density was associated to working memory performance and academic achievement. Eighty‐five children with overweight/obesity aged 8–11 years participated in this cross‐sectional study. Physical fitness components were assessed using the ALPHA test battery. Electroencephalography recordings were performed during a Delayed Non‐Match‐to‐Sample task that assessed working memory. Brain source analysis was carried out using sLORETA to estimate regional current source density differences between high and low (H–L) working memory loads. Academic achievement was measured by the Spanish version of the Woodcock‐Johnson III test battery. The main results showed that higher cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with higher H–L current density differences in frontal, limbic, and occipital regions during encoding and maintenance task's phases (β≥0.412, p ≤ 0.019). A limbic area was further related to better working memory performance (β=0.267, p = 0.005). During retrieval, higher cardiorespiratory fitness was also associated with higher current density in temporal regions (β=0.265, p = 0.013), whereas lower muscular fitness was associated with higher current density in frontal regions (β=–0.261, p = 0.016). Our results suggest that cardiorespiratory fitness, but not speed‐agility nor muscular fitness, is positively associated with brain current source density during working memory processes in children with overweight/obesity. Fitness‐related current density differences in limbic regions were associated with better working memory.
The aim of this study was to examine whether metabolically healthy overweight/obese children have greater global and regional gray matter volumes than their metabolically unhealthy peers. We further examined the association between gray matter volume and academic achievement, along with the role of cardiorespiratory fitness in these associations. A total of 97 overweight/obese children (10.0 +/- 1.2 years) participated. We classified children as metabolically healthy/unhealthy based on metabolic syndrome cut-offs. Global and regional brain volumes were assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. Academic achievement was assessed using the Woodcock-Munoz standardized test. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by the 20 m shuttle run test. Metabolically healthy overweight/obese (MHO) children had greater regional gray matter volume compared to those who were metabolically unhealthy (MUO) (all p 0.05). The findings of the present study support that metabolically healthy overweight/obese children have greater gray matter volume compared to those that are metabolically unhealthy, which is in turn related to better academic achievement. However, cardiorespiratory fitness seems to explain, at least partially, these findings. ; Funding Agencies|Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [RTI2018-095284-J-100]; Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)European Union (EU) [DEP2013-47540, DEP2016-79512-R, DEP2017-91544-EXP, RYC-2011-09011]; Government of Andalusian, Integrated Territorial Initiative 2014-2020 [PI-0002-2017]; Spanish Ministry of Science and InnovationSpanish Government [FJC2018-037925-I]; Alicia Koplowitz Foundation; Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport [FPU15/02645, FPU14/06837]; Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities [FJCI-2017-33396]; Strategic Research Area Health Care Science, Karolinska Institutet/Umea University; University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigacion 2016, Excellence actions: Units of Excellence; Scientific Excellence Unit on Exercise and Health (UCEES); Junta de AndaluciaJunta de Andalucia; Consejeria de Conocimiento, Investigacion y Universidades; European Regional Development FundsEuropean Union (EU) [SOMM17/6107/UGR]; SAMID III network; RETICS - PN I + D + I 2017-2021 (Spain); ISCIII-Sub-Directorate General for Research Assessment and Promotion; European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)European Union (EU) [RD16/0022]; EXERNET Research Network on Exercise and Health in Special Populations [DEP2005-00046/ACTI]; European Unions 2020 research and innovation programEuropean Union (EU) [667302]
The aim of this study was to examine whether metabolically healthy overweight/obese children have greater global and regional gray matter volumes than their metabolically unhealthy peers. We further examined the association between gray matter volume and academic achievement, along with the role of cardiorespiratory fitness in these associations. A total of 97 overweight/obese children (10.0 +/- 1.2 years) participated. We classified children as metabolically healthy/unhealthy based on metabolic syndrome cut-offs. Global and regional brain volumes were assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. Academic achievement was assessed using the Woodcock-Munoz standardized test. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by the 20 m shuttle run test. Metabolically healthy overweight/obese (MHO) children had greater regional gray matter volume compared to those who were metabolically unhealthy (MUO) (all p 0.05). The findings of the present study support that metabolically healthy overweight/obese children have greater gray matter volume compared to those that are metabolically unhealthy, which is in turn related to better academic achievement. However, cardiorespiratory fitness seems to explain, at least partially, these findings. ; The ActiveBrains project was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the 'Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)' (DEP2013-47540, DEP2016-79512-R, DEP2017-91544-EXP and RYC-2011-09011). CC-S are supported by the Government of Andalusian, Integrated Territorial Initiative 2014-2020 for the province of Cadiz (PI-0002-2017) and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (FJC2018-037925-I). IE-C are supported by the Alicia Koplowitz Foundation and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (RTI2018-095284-J-100). JHM and JM-G are supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (FPU15/02645 and FPU14/06837, respectively). JVR is supported by a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (FJCI-2017-33396). PH was supported by a grant from the Strategic Research Area Health Care Science, Karolinska Institutet/Umea University. Additional funding was obtained from the University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigacion 2016, Excellence actions: Units of Excellence; Scientific Excellence Unit on Exercise and Health (UCEES). Junta de Andalucia, Consejeria de Conocimiento, Investigacion y Universidades and European Regional Development Funds (ref. SOMM17/6107/UGR). In addition, funding was provided by the SAMID III network, RETICS, funded by the PN I + D + I 2017-2021 (Spain), ISCIII-Sub-Directorate General for Research Assessment and Promotion, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (Ref. RD16/0022), the EXERNET Research Network on Exercise and Health in Special Populations (DEP2005-00046/ACTI) and the European Union's 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 667302.
