The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a single session of high-intensity interval exercise (HIIT) affects cognitive performance and brain activity in older adults, and whether cardiorespiratory fitness influences these effects. The main questions it aims to answer are:
* Does a single HIIT session change performance on a task-switching test of cognitive flexibility? * Does a single HIIT session change prefrontal brain activity during cognitive testing, as measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)? * Do older adults with higher cardiorespiratory fitness show greater cognitive and brain changes in response to HIIT than those with lower fitness?
Participants will:
* Visit the laboratory on two separate days * Complete a sub-maximal graded exercise test during the first visit to measure cardiorespiratory fitness * Complete a single \~30-minute HIIT cycling session during the second visit * Complete a task-switching cognitive test before and after the HIIT session * Have their brain activity monitored with fNIRS while completing the cognitive tests
Physical active in the last three months (>3x/week of 30 minutes of moderate exercise)
To participate in the study, participants must answer "no" to all the Physical Activity Readiness questionnaire (PAR-Q) questions and have no signs and symptoms of cardiovascular, metabolic, and kidney diseases following the decision tree of the American College of Sports Medicine screening procedure.
Agree to have their data stored in a human performance database for future use. Agree to have their data stored in a repository per the requirement of peer-reviewed scientific journals, which may require data to be stored in a repository as a condition for publication. Such repositories are online databases, in which coded data is linked (no link to participants personally) to the journal article citation. Must read, understand, and sign the informed consent form.
Use of illicit drugs, excessive alcohol, and/or performance-enhancing drugs.
Have any current orthopedic injury.
Have implanted medical devices.
Serious medical conditions limiting the ability to safety participate in either the PA interventions; these include dementia, symptomatic heart or vascular disease, severe hypertension, recent myocardial infarction, stroke, severe insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, psychiatric disease, renal disease, liver disease or active cancer
Single group
High-Intensity Interval Training
BehavioralA single session of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) performed on a cycle ergometer, consisting of 4 bouts of 4 minutes of high-intensity cycling separated by 3 minutes of passive or light active recovery (total exercise session approximately 30 minutes, excluding warm-up and cool-down). High exercise intensity is individually prescribed and controlled at approximately 85-90% of each participant's maximal power output and maximal heart rate, both estimated from a submaximal graded exercise test (American College of Sports Medicine submaximal cycle ergometer protocol) completed during a prior laboratory visit. During the recovery intervals, participants cycle at a light workload (30-50% of maximum power output). Participants are asked to maintain a cadence of approximately 50-60 revolutions per minute throughout. Heart rate, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and cadence are monitored and recorded every minute during the session by a trained study team member.
Change in Cognitive Flexibility (Task-Switching Performance)
Changes in reaction time (milliseconds) switch cost, calculated as the difference in mean reaction time between switch trials and repeat trials, on a computerized numerical classification task-switching paradigm. Larger switch costs indicate poorer cognitive flexibility.
Change in Prefrontal Cortex Activation (fNIRS)
Relative changes (ΔμM) in oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) and deoxyhemoglobin (HbR) concentrations in prefrontal cortex regions, measured via functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during task-switching performance. Increased HbO and decreased HbR reflects increased regional brain activation.
Correlation Between Cardiorespiratory Fitness (VO₂max ) and Change in Cognitive Flexibility
Correlation between estimated VO₂max (mL/kg/min), derived from the ACSM submaximal cycle ergometer test protocol, and the change in reaction time switch cost (milliseconds) on the computerized task-switching paradigm from pre- to post-exercise.
Correlation Between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Change in Prefrontal Cortex Activation
Correlation between estimated VO₂max (mL/kg/min), derived from the ACSM submaximal cycle ergometer test protocol, and the change in oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) and deoxyhemoglobin (HbR) concentrations (ΔμM) in the prefrontal cortex, measured via fNIRS, from pre- to post-exercise.
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Colby-Sawyer College
Lead sponsor
Tufts University
Collaborator
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