The Effect of Free Weight Resistance Training on Cognitive Function Explored Through Eye Tracking: A Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine the impact of a 10-week free weight resistance training program on cognitive function in healthy young adults.
Results Summary
The study found that resistance training led to significant changes in cognitive processing, particularly in early processing measures (FPRTs), with the experimental group showing improved attention allocation to complex structures and enhanced efficiency for simpler texts. Increased strength was associated with these cognitive improvements.
Population
Healthy young adults
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
10 weeks
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10-week free weight resistance training (RT) program | increase | cognitive processing | healthy young adults | - | demonstrating training effects on cognitive processing | #1 |
10-week free weight resistance training (RT) program | increase | processing patterns | experimental group | - | showed a distinctive shift in processing patterns | #2 |
10-week free weight resistance training (RT) program | increase | processing times in high complexity | experimental group | - | increased times in high complexity post-intervention | #3 |
increased strength | increase | attention allocation to complex structures | - | - | associated with enhanced attention allocation | #4 |
increased strength | increase | processing efficiency for simpler texts | - | - | associated with improved processing efficiency | #5 |
resistance training (RT) | increase | cognitive function | - | - | potential to modulate cognitive function | #6 |
In this study, we investigated the impact of a 10-week free weight resistance training (RT) program on cognitive function in healthy young adults. In this randomized controlled trial, 18 participants were assigned to either an experimental or control group. We assessed cognitive function by using eye-tracking (ET) technology during text processing tasks. First-pass reading times (FPRTs) and total reading times (TRTs) were measured. Results revealed a significant three-way interaction between group, moment, and syntactic complexity in FPRTs, demonstrating training effects on cognitive processing. The experimental group showed a distinctive shift in processing patterns: from longer times in low complexity pre-intervention to increased times in high complexity post-intervention, particularly in early processing measures (FPRTs). Complementary analyses of strength improvements showed that increased strength was associated with enhanced attention allocation to complex structures and improved processing efficiency for simpler texts, suggesting RT's potential to modulate cognitive function.