Recently, while I was looking into porn addiction and how to overcome it, I read that it can affect cognitive function negatively. Then soon after, one of my acquaintances said that he experienced worsening in memory performance and that he thinks it could be porn addiction. So, we decided to look into what can be done to improve his cognitive function, besides recovering from the addiction. And that is what prompted me to write about this post as I came across a study that connects cognitive function to HIIT. Since HIIT is finding an appeal and is now among the most favorite workouts, I thought it would be interesting to write about its relationship to cognitive function.
What Is Cognitive Functioning?
Before we dive deep into this topic, I would like to give you a brief overview of what we are going to discuss. Although most of you have an idea about what cognitive functioning is, for those of you who don't have a clear idea, here is a brief introduction.
Cognitive functioning refers to how you react, how you think, how you behave, and your ability to remember. Age is the main reason behind cognitive function decline, but other causes such as major depressive disorders, addiction, diabetes, genetics, lifestyle, and others. In some cases, like with major depressive disorders, this decline can lead to a decrease in the quality of life.
Fortunately, certain lifestyle modifications can reduce cognitive functioning decline and improve it.
What Is HIIT?
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is a method of training that consists of short bursts of intense aerobic exercises, usually not more than 20 seconds, followed by a short period of rest.
High-intensity interval training started gaining popularity in the 2010s and was based on a 1996 study by Ritsumeikan University Professor Izumi Tabata.
Benefits of HIIT
The benefits of high-intensity interval training are many, and it extends beyond physical health to cover mental health as well. Among the benefits of high-intensity interval training are:
Burning Fats and Calories: A HIIT session can be very effective in burning fats, which is useful for someone who is trying to lose weight.
Increasing Endurance and Strength: Most of those who have been practicing HIIT for a while would notice that their strength has increased.
Increase in Human Growth Hormone: Human growth hormone (HGH) slows down the aging process.
It Improves Mental Health: HIIT, like any other workout, can improve mental health.
High-Intensity Interval Training does not provoke the same displeasure that intensive training does, because unlike the latter, high-intensity interval training does not push the person to work towards their limits.
Not to mention other benefits of HIIT over regular exercise, such as that it saves time, can be done at home without equipment, and that it is adaptable.
HIIT and Cognitive Function
Now we come to the crux of the matter. How can HIIT improve cognitive function?
Here is what the studies found:
Neuroplasticity in Post-Stroke Patients
The first study that I came across looked into the effect of HIIT on neuroplasticity markers in post-stroke patients. The results that this systematic review found indicate that:
HIIT can improve the neuronal recovery after an ischemic injury.
HIIT can increase the plasma concentrations of neurotrophic and growth factors that are involved in neuroplasticity.
Not only that, but HIIT also regulates other neurophysiological measurements that are associated with better results in tasks related to motor learning.
2. Cognitive Flexibility Increases With HIIT
Another study looked into the effect of high-intensity exercise on cognitive functioning, and what the researchers found is that:
Acute High-intensity exercise had improved cognitive flexibility in the Trail Making Test (TMT) (a test that measures attention, speed, and mental flexibility) compared to the control group.
The test group also had an increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) after the exercise. Those results show us that there is indeed a relationship between increased cognitive performance and acute intense exercises.
3. HIIT Shows Greater Cognitive Effects Compared to MICT
A study that took 40 obese participants who were assigned into two groups, one group was assigned to HIIT while the other group was assigned to moderate-intensity continuous training. The HIIT group showed greater effectiveness than the MICT.
4. Effects of HIIT on the Cognitive Functions of Children and Adolescents
Another study looked into the effect of high-intensity interval training on adolescents and children and found there is evidence suggesting that HIIT can improve children’s and adolescents' cognitive function and mental health as well. The study observed that the acute effects of high-intensity interval training were stronger than those of the chronic effects in regards to cognitive function.
5. The Effects of HIIT on the Cognitive Function Test Results of University Students
The Improvements In cognitive function was also highlighted by another study, where 44 university students between 18 and 25 years performed cognitive tests such as the Victoria Stroop test, Countermovement Jump test, and Reaction Time test. The results showed a significant improvement in the Stroop test with a decrease in the number of errors. There was also an improvement in reaction time tests, although this one was not as significant as the Stroop test. On the other hand, the performance on the countermovement jump test decreased slightly, but not significantly.
Key Takeaways
As you can see from the results of all those studies, high-intensity interval training has great merits in improving different cognitive functions in both children and adults. Which makes it a promising intervention for the improvement of cognitive function and brain health.
References and Citations
Castro-Calvo, J., Cervigón-Carrasco, V., Ballester-Arnal, R., & Giménez-García, C. (2021). Cognitive processes related to problematic pornography use (PPU): A systematic review of experimental studies. Addictive behaviors reports, 13, 100345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2021.100345
https://store.google.com/intl/en/ideas/articles/benefits-of-hiit/
Montero-Almagro, G., Bernal-Utrera, C., Geribaldi-Doldán, N., Nunez-Abades, P., Castro, C., & Rodriguez-Blanco, C. (2024). Influence of High-Intensity Interval Training on Neuroplasticity Markers in Post-Stroke Patients: Systematic Review. Journal of clinical medicine, 13(7), 1985. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13071985.
Hwang, J., Brothers, R. M., Castelli, D. M., Glowacki, E. M., Chen, Y. T., Salinas, M. M., Kim, J., Jung, Y., & Calvert, H. G. (2016). Acute high-intensity exercise-induced cognitive enhancement and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in young, healthy adults. Neuroscience letters, 630, 247–253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2016.07.033
Leahy, A. A., Mavilidi, M. F., Smith, J. J., Hillman, C. H., Eather, N., Barker, D., & Lubans, D. R. (2020). Review of High-Intensity Interval Training for Cognitive and Mental Health in Youth. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 52(10), 2224–2234. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002359
Khatija Bahdur, Robin Gilchrist, Gareth Park, Lauren Nina, Ricard Pruna, Effect of HIIT on cognitive and physical performance, Apunts. Medicina de l'Esport, Volume 54, Issue 204, 2019, Pages 113-117, ISSN 1886-6581, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apunts.2019.07.001.
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