The pervasive sedentary lifestyle exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly reduced physical activity (PA) among school-age children, necessitating innovative strategies to evaluate short PA breaks that are feasible in a classroom setting. This study explored the cognitive and neurophysiological (electroencephalography; EEG) impacts of short bouts of different PA modalities on inhibitory control (flanker task) and episodic memory (word recognition task) in children. Utilizing a within-participants cross-over design, thirty-six children (n = 36; 9–12 years old) attended the lab on three separate days with each visit including either a 9 min bout of sustained moderate-intensity cycling, high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE), or seated rest. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were assessed during the flanker task (P3 component) and the word recognition task (LPC and FN400 components) to elucidate the neural mechanisms underpinning behavioral outcomes. Findings indicated no differences in flanker performance but greater episodic memory recall for HIIE compared to seated rest. Neurophysiological results revealed no differences for P3, but notably larger amplitude for LPC and FN400 postcycling, particularly over parietal electrode sites. These results underscore the potential of short PA breaks to improve cognitive and neurocognitive function in children, offering a feasible integration strategy into daily school routines without extensive time commitment.

Existing research underscores the positive influence of acute physical activity (PA) on cognition, including executive functions and episodic memory. However, it remains unclear whether the timing of assessment influences the extent and the patterns of cognitive improvements following acute PA, particularly in emerging adults. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of acute PA across different cognitive domains (episodic memory, working memory, and inhibitory control) at different time windows in emerging adults. Using a within-participants cross-over design, thirty emerging adults ( n = 30; 22.4 ± 1.6 years; 21 females) visited the lab on two separate days engaging in either 30-minutes of moderate-intensity PA or seated rest. Participants completed a battery of cognitive tasks at pre- and post-acute PA and seated rest including a word recognition task (encoding phase completed 5–8 min post PA and rest; recall phase completed 29–33 min post PA and rest), a change detection dot task (completed 9–28 min post PA and rest), and a modified flanker task (34–38 min post PA and rest). Results revealed improved memory recall performance, specifically for primacy and recency accuracy. However, results for the change detection and the flanker task revealed no change after acute PA compared to seated rest. Together, these results reveal temporal specific effects and suggest that the timing of cognitive assessment following is critical for capturing cognitive benefits of acute PA, especially in emerging adults.

Background/Objectives: Regular physical activity (PA) benefits mood and cognition, yet the neural markers associated with free-living PA remain unclear. Alpha asymmetry (AA), a neural marker of affective and motivational states, may help predict individuals’ preferred activity intensity and duration. To examine the relationship between resting-state AA in frontal and parietal regions, positive affect, and accelerometer-derived PA metrics were measured. Methods: Fifty-nine participants (age = 21.8 years) wore wrist accelerometers for 7 days, completed resting-state electroencephalography (EEG; alpha power 8–13 Hz), and completed the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). PA metrics included sedentary time (ST), light PA (LPA), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), average acceleration (AvAcc), intensity gradient (IG), and the most active X minutes (M2–M120). Multiple regression models tested AA to PA associations while accounting for sex and positive affect. Results: Although frontal AA was included as a key neural candidate, the observed associations emerged only at parietal sites. Greater right parietal AA power was associated with the most active M60, M30, M15, M10, and M5. For IG, greater AA power was observed in the left parietal region. No significant associations emerged for LPA, MVPA, AvAcc, M120, or M2. Across models, higher positive affect consistently predicted greater PA engagement. Conclusions: While resting frontal AA is theoretically relevant to motivational processes, the findings indicate that parietal AA more strongly differentiates individuals’ tendencies toward specific PA intensities and durations. Positive affect is associated with PA engagement. These findings identify parietal AA as a promising neural correlate for tailoring PA strategies aimed at sustaining active lifestyles.

Background/Objectives: Regular physical activity (PA) benefits mood and cognition, yet the neural markers associated with free-living PA remain unclear. Alpha asymmetry (AA), a neural marker of affective and motivational states, may help predict individuals’ preferred activity intensity and duration. To examine the relationship between resting state AA in frontal and parietal regions, positive affect, and accelerometer-derived PA metrics. Methods: Fifty-nine participants (age = 21.8 years) wore wrist accelerometers for 7 days, completed resting-state electroencephalography (EEG; alpha power 8-13 Hz), and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). PA metrics included sedentary time (ST), light PA (LPA), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), average acceleration (AvAcc), intensity gradient (IG), and the most active X minutes (M2-M120). Multiple regression models tested AA to PA associations while accounting for sex and positive affect. Results: Greater right parietal AA power was associated with PA bouts lasting M60, M30, M15, M10, and M5. For IG, greater AA power was observed in the left parietal region. No significant associations emerged for LPA, MVPA, AvAcc, M120, or M2. Across models, higher positive affect consistently predicted greater PA engagement. Conclusions: Resting parietal AA appears to differentiate individuals’ tendencies toward specific PA intensities and durations, while positive affect broadly supports is associated with overall PA engagement. These findings identify parietal AA as a promising neural correlate for tailoring PA strategies aimed at sustaining active lifestyles.

Existing research underscores the positive influence of acute physical activity (PA) on cognition, including executive functions and episodic memory. However, it remains unclear whether the timing of assessment influences the extent and the patterns of cognitive improvements following acute PA, particularly in emerging adults. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of acute PA across different cognitive domains (episodic memory, working memory, and inhibitory control) at different time windows in emerging adults. Using a within-participants cross-over design, thirty emerging adults ( n = 30; 22.4 ± 1.6 years; 21 females) visited the lab on two separate days engaging in either 30-minutes of moderate-intensity PA or seated rest. Participants completed a battery of cognitive tasks at pre- and post-acute PA and seated rest including a word recognition task (encoding phase completed 5–8 minutes post PA and rest; recall phase completed 29–33 minutes post PA and rest), a change detection dot task (completed 9–28 minutes post PA and rest), and a modified flanker task (34–38 minutes post PA and rest). Results revealed improved memory recall performance, specifically for primacy and recency accuracy. However, results for the change detection and the flanker task revealed no change after acute PA compared to seated rest. Together, these results reveal temporal specific effects and suggest that the timing of cognitive assessment following is critical for capturing cognitive benefits of acute PA, especially in emerging adults.