Physical Activity in Cognitive Training: The Missing Ingredient For Fostering Executive Function and PFC Development

• In Event: Children's and Adolescents' Technology Use to Enhance Cognitive and Educational Outcomes

Abstract

Environmental enrichment is critical in shaping the development of executive function (EF)—cognitive processes that subserve goal-directed behavior—through increased quantity and quality of multimodal input to the prefrontal cortex (PFC; Werchan & Amso, 2017). Fostering EF is important because EF longitudinally predicts academic achievement and learning-related classroom behaviors controlling for IQ and socioeconomic status (Diamond, 2011). One way to create an enriched environment is through exergames: video games that stimulate cognitive and motor functions simultaneously. While there are well-documented beneficial effects of exergames on EF in elderly populations, research on children is scarce. Studies with multiple EF assessments and complimentary neuroimaging with children are needed to clarify the unique efficacy exergames have on EF and elucidate the mechanisms underlying changes. This preregistered study filled these gaps by 1) assessing the efficacy of exergames on EF by comparing exergame play to cognitive training, exercise training, and a control group 2) including multiple EF assessments and teacher EF ratings to assess whether the skills children learn transfer and 3) investigating the potential neural mechanisms of exergame-induced changes with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). It was hypothesized that exergame play would improve children’s performance on behavioral EF tasks, EF-related behaviors in the classroom, and resting-state PFC connectivity compared to the control groups. 120 children ages 4 to 5 were recruited and randomly assigned to one of four conditions: Exergame, Exercise, Cognitive, or Control. fNIRS, performance on widely-utilized EF tasks (Flanker Task, Day-Night Task) and teacher EF ratings (BRIEF-P) were assessed at pretest and posttest. Children in each condition trained for 2 consecutive days, 20 mins/day; children in the Control group continued their typical activities and just participated in the pre- and posttest assessments. Each condition was projected onto a wall with a game step mat with one left arrow and one right arrow. The Exergame condition (combined physical activity+cognitive training) was modeled on the Flanker Task, but instead of pressing left and right arrows on a computer, children responded by stepping left or right on the physical game mat’s arrows depending on the direction that the central target was facing. The Cognitive condition was identical to the Exergame, except participants sat on the mat and pressed left or right with their hands (low physical activity+high cognitive training). The Exercise condition was identical to the Exergame, except the central target was not surrounded by distractors (high physical activity+low cognitive training). The fNIRS analysis revealed the Exergame condition exhibited significantly stronger changes in connectivity strength within the PFC from pre- to posttest compared to all other conditions (Figure 1). Only children in the Exergame condition exhibited improvement on the transfer Day-Night EF Task and teacher ratings of EF (Figure 2). This area is particularly timely and important because parents and educators across the world are attempting to find ways to keep children physically active and engaged in the wake of stay-at-home orders. Exergames can easily be implemented in children’s lifestyles and have high potential to improve essential EF skills that are crucial for academic success.

Authors

• Cassondra Eng, Stanford University
  Presenting Author

• Melissa Pocsai, The Graduate Center CUNY
  Non-Presenting Author

• Erik Daniel Thiessen, Carnegie Mellon University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Anna V Fisher, Carnegie Mellon University
  Non-Presenting Author