This article was published in March 2009, but since it is of major relevance to the focus of this site, it is now covered here, along with two news articles expanding on the importance of its findings. The article is from Neuroscience [2009 Mar 31;159(3):1044-54] and by C.H. Hillman, M.B. Pontifex, L.B. Raine, D.M. Castelli, E.E. Hall, and A.F. Kramer, who examined the effect of moderate treadmill walking on attention and applied aspects of cognition as related to school-based academic performance.
Twenty preadolescent participants [9-year olds] were studied to "assess exercise-induced changes in performance during a modified flanker task and the Wide Range Achievement Test 3. The resting session consisted of cognitive testing followed by a cardiorespiratory fitness assessment to determine aerobic fitness. The exercise session consisted of 20 min of walking on a motor-driven treadmill at 60% of estimated maximum heart rate followed by cognitive testing once heart rate returned to within 10% of pre-exercise levels."
Results of the study showed improved response accuracy and better performance on the academic achievement test following aerobic exercise.
"Collectively, these findings indicate that single, acute bouts of moderately-intense aerobic exercise (i.e. walking) may improve the cognitive control of attention in preadolescent children, and further support the use of moderate acute exercise as a contributing factor for increasing attention and academic performance. . . ." Abstract: PubMed. More on this article at: News Illinois: Physical activity may strengthen children's ability to pay attention; and a Science Daily feature of the same title:
