Acute Effects of High-intensity Interval Training With Mindfulness-based Recovery on Executive Function in Children

Supporting High-intensity Interval Training With Mindfulness for Enhancing Childhood Executive Function

The goal of this randomized cross-over trial is to learn about the effect of a single bout of 20-min mindfulness-based high-intensity interval training (MF-HIIT), MF-only, and HIIT-only in relative to sitting rest on executive function (EF) in 10-12 years old children. The main question it aims to answer are:

Question 1: Whether a single bout of 20-min MF-HIIT has larger beneficial effect on EF performance than that following a 20-min session of MF-only and HIIT-only in relative to the sitting rest

Question 2: Whether a single bout of 20-min MF-HIIT has a larger beneficial effect on brain functioning, as measured by the N2 and P3 components of event-related potential (ER) during EF performance than that following a 20-min session of MF-only and HIIT-only in relative to the sitting rest

Participants will visit the laboratory on 5 separate days (> 2-day washout between days) in which they have not previously participated in structured physical activities.

Participants will complete the testing and/or receive treatments below:

Day 1:

• Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (KBIT) to assess intelligence quotient
• Treadmill-based exercise test to measure cardiorespiratory fitness (maximum oxygen consumption)

Days 2-5

• Each day, participants will complete each of the four intervention conditions (MF-HIIT, MF-only, HIIT-only, sitting)
• Participants' heart rate and self-reported affect and rating of physical exertion will be measured
• Participants will complete a modified flanker task and a task-switching task to assess inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility
• Participants will wear an EEG cap to measure the N2 and P3 components of the event-related potential during the inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility performance

Researcher will compare the cognitive outcome measures following the MF-HIIT, MF-only, and HIIT-only conditions with the sitting condition to see if MF and HIIT has beneficial effects on children's EF.

Further, researcher will compare the cognitive outcome measures following the MF-HIIT compared with MF-only and HIIT-only conditions to see if combining MF with HIIT has greater beneficial effects on children's EF than MF and HIIT alone.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age between 10-12 years old
• Intelligence Quotient ≥ 85
• Capable of performing exercise based on pre-participation health screening
• No formal diagnosis of cognitive disorders (e.g., attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and neurological diseases (e.g., epilepsy)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age outside of the range of 10-12 years old
• Intelligence Quotient < 85
• No capable of performing exercise based on pre-participation health screening
• Has formal diagnosis of cognitive disorders (e.g., attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and neurological diseases (e.g., epilepsy)