Comparison Between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Functions of Cognitive Control in Adolescents: A Tracking Study of 3 Years

Purpose: Compare tracking groups with cognitive control functions and plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factors concentrations from childhood to adolescence. Methods: This is a prospective study with 3 years of follow-up. At baseline, data from 394 individuals were collected (11.7 y), and data were obtained from 134 adolescents (14.9 y) at the 3-year follow-up. At both time points, anthropometric and maximal oxygen uptake data were collected. Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) groups were classified into high or low CRF. At follow-up, cognitive outcomes were collected via the Stroop and Corsi block test; plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factors concentrations were also analyzed. Results: Comparisons demonstrated that maintaining high CRF over 3 years results in shorter reaction time, better inhibitory control, and higher working memory values. Likewise, the group that moved from low to high CRF over 3 years presented better reaction time. Plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factors concentrations were higher for the group that increased its CRF over the 3 years in relation to the low-low group (90.58 pg center dot mL-1; P = .004). However, after scaling by an allometric approach, differences were only found for reaction time and working memory between high-high and high-low groups. Conclusion: Maintaining high CRF over 3 years was positively related to reaction time and working memory in relation to adolescents that decreased their levels of CRF.

Automated summary

This study aimed to compare the relationship between tracking groups, cognitive control functions, and plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factors concentrations from childhood to adolescence. The results showed that maintaining high cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) over three years was positively associated with shorter reaction time and improved working memory.