Effects of an incremental maximal endurance exercise stress-induced cortisol on cognitive performance

  1. Jose Luis Bermejo Ruiz 1
  2. Bruno Ribeiro do Couto 2
  3. A. Marco Ahulló 1
  4. I. Villarrasa Sapiña 1
  5. Xavier García Massó 1
  1. 1 Universitat de València
    info

    Universitat de València

    Valencia, España

    ROR https://ror.org/043nxc105

  2. 2 Universidad de Murcia
    info

    Universidad de Murcia

    Murcia, España

    ROR https://ror.org/03p3aeb86

Journal:
Journal of Human Sport and Exercise: JHSE

ISSN: 1988-5202

Year of publication: 2019

Volume: 14

Issue: 3

Pages: 632-644

Type: Article

DOI: 10.14198/JHSE.2019.143.13 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openRUA editor

More publications in: Journal of Human Sport and Exercise: JHSE

Abstract

Objectives: It can be hypothesized that cognitive performance decreases after fatigue protocol when it coincides with the maximum peak of cortisol. The first aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of a single bout of high intensity exercise on behavioural (i.e., attention and memory) and physiological (i.e., salivary cortisol) responses. The second objective was to evaluate the effect of the performance of the cognitive tasks on cortisol levels. Methods: Thirty-four physically active men (at least 5 days/week of physical activity practice) 38.11 (1.57) years old completed a maximal incremental protocol on a treadmill by running until they reached a state of stress. Salivary cortisol and cognitive functions were evaluated in counterbalanced order prior and following exercise-induced stress. Results: Results showed lower cortisol levels before exercise and higher cortisol values before the cognitive task. Indeed, exercise-induced stress had only a detrimental effect on attention without any impact on declarative memory and finding improvements on working memory performance. Conclusion: The effects of stress on cognitive performance depending on the main brain areas responsible of cognitive functions (i.e., prefrontal cortex and hippocampus) and time elapsed between the cessation of exercise and the evaluation of these.

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