Cardiovascular Exercise Improves Inhibitory Control in Sedentary Young Adults: A 12-Week Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE Physical exercise may enhance cognitive functions, including inhibitory control. Despite increasing evidence, there remains a need for robust evidence on long-term interventions targeting inhibition in healthy, sedentary young adults. We investigated the effects of a 12-week cardiovascular exercise program on this population's behavioral and neuroelectric measures of inhibitory control. METHODS Sedentary young adults were randomized into an experimental group (n = 32) or a passive control group (n = 30). The experimental group completed a cycling ergometer program consisting of 6 weeks of moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MCE), followed by 6 weeks of moderate- to high-intensity interval exercise (MHIE). Inhibitory control was assessed at baseline (pre-test), after 6 weeks (mid-test), and after the intervention (post-test) using a modified flanker task with EEG recordings. Assessed outcomes included response time (RT) and event-related potentials (the amplitude and latency of the N2 and P3b components). RESULTS The experimental group exhibited a progressive reduction in RT for incongruent trials across all time points (pre- to mid-test, mid- to post-test, and pre- to post-test) without compromising accuracy. The control group showed RT reductions only from pre- to post-test, with a decline in overall accuracy. Neuroelectric analyses revealed decreased N2 amplitudes and faster P3b latencies in the experimental group from mid- to post-test during incongruent trials. The control group demonstrated increased N2 amplitudes from pre- to mid-test and pre- to post-test during congruent trials. CONCLUSIONS A 12-week cardiovascular exercise intervention combining MCE and MHIE enhances both behavioral and neuroelectric indices of inhibitory control in sedentary young adults. These findings highlight the potential of exercise programs as an accessible and effective strategy for improving cognitive health, especially in healthy but sedentary adults.