1.Improving cardiorespiratory fitness to promote the development of executive function in adolescents
Chinese Journal of School Health 2024;45(3):305-308
Abstract
Executive function development is crucial for the overall development of physical and mental health, improvement of mental health literacy, and enhancement of adolescent health and well being in the adolescent population. It is scientific and feasible to promote the development of executive function by improving the cardiorespiratory fitness of adolescents. Therefore, it is important to grasp the "cardiorespiratory fitness improvement" and actively explore ways and methods to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and thus promote the executive function of adolescents, in order to comprehensively strengthen the construction of the adolescent mental health protection mechanism and work system, and to improve the work of students mental health in the new era.
2.Executive functions of obese adolescents
LI Ying, YIN Xiaojian, MA Yuanyuan, WANG Jinxian, WU Huipan, ZHANG Yingkun, SHI Lijuan, LI Yong
Chinese Journal of School Health 2024;45(3):313-316
Objective:
To explore of executive function in obese adolescents, so as to provide a reference for executive function enhancement intervention in obese adolescents.
Methods:
A convenience sample of 1 227 adolescents aged 13-18 years was selected from 2 secondary schools in Taiyuan City during March-April 2023. The Flanker task, N-back task and More odd shifting task was used to compare the different subfunctions of executive function (refreshing function, shifting function, inhibiting function) of 61 obese adolescents and 70 normal weight adolescents. Independent samples t-tests was used for between group comparisons and Cohen s d -tests was used to calculate between group differences in executive function between the two groups of adolescents.
Results:
Compared with the group of normal weight, time responses of the inhibitory function [(29.73±19.55)ms], the refreshing function [1-back: (1 088.75±275.76)ms, 2-back:( 1 285.44± 355.16)ms] and the shifting function [(380.34±153.18) ms] in the obese group were significantly longer than those in the normal weight group [(14.86±20.27, 888.38±286.57, 1 126.20± 287.43 , 323.12±134.71) ms] ( t =4.26, 4.06, 1.92,2.26, P < 0.05 ); inhibitory function (0.91±0.09) and 1-back (0.73±0.24) were also significantly less correct than in the normal weight group (0.94±0.05, 0.83±0.21) ( t =-2.04, -2.04, P <0.05). Obese adolescents showed moderate adverse effect sizes in the inhibition function ( d =0.746,0.712) and the refresh function 1-back, and smaller adverse effect sizes in the refresh function 2-back and the conversion function( d =0.497,0.398).
Conclusion
Obese adolescents have significant executive function deficits, but the degree of adverse varies across sub-functions, with inhibitory function being the core deficit component of executive function in obese adolescents.
3.Intervention effects of moderate and high intensities of classroom physical activity on cardiorespiratory fitness and executive function among junior grade one students in Tibetan
BI Cunjian,YIN Xiaojian,SHI Lijuan,WU Huipan,WANG Jinxian,SHAN Ying,LI Jun,WANG Meng
Chinese Journal of School Health 2024;45(3):322-325
Objective:
To explore the intervention effect of different intensity of classroom physical exercise on cardiorespiratory fitness and executive function of Tibetan first grade students at high altitude, so as to provide reference for improving the level of cardiorespiratory fitness and executive function of Tibetan adolescents.
Methods:
From September to December 2020, 184 Tibetan students from five first grade classes in a middle school in Lhasa, Tibet, were randomly assigned into a control group (81 students in two classes) and an intervention group (103 students in three classes). Both groups followed the same teaching programme, but the intervention group received 36 sessions of moderate to high intensity classroom physical activity, one session per day, Monday,Wednesday and Friday, for 12 weeks. Before and after the intervention, cardiorespiratory fitness and executive function were tested by 20m round trip running and Flanker s experimental paradigm, 2-back s experimental paradigm, and More odd shifting experimental paradigm for inhibitory control, refreshing memory, and switching flexibility, and the results were analysed by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to compare the results of the pre and post intervention periods.
Results:
The maximum oxygen uptake (VO 2max ) of Tibetan first grade students in the intervention group increased by 2.25 mL/(kg〖WW)〗·〖WW(〗min) compared with the control group after the intervention ( t =-3.89, P <0.01); the response time of the inhibitory function was reduced by 4.40 ms, that of the refreshing function by 196.06 ms, and that of the switching function by 92.72 ms in the intervention group compared with the control group ( t =2.98, 4.82 ,3.21, P <0.05).
Conclusion
The 12 week moderate to high intensity classroom physical activity intervention has different degrees of improvement effects on cardiorespiratory fitness and executive function in Tibetan adolescents.
4.Factors influencing the development of executive function in adolescents
LI Yong, YIN Xiaojian, WU Huipan, MA Yuanyuan, SHI Lijuan, WANG Jinxian, SHAN Ying, ZHANG Yingkun
Chinese Journal of School Health 2024;45(3):437-442
Abstract
Executive function is an advanced cognitive process aimed at the flexible coordination, optimization, and control of the cognitive processes of task solving in order to accomplish a specific task, ensuring that the individual produces effective behaviors, including inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. Given the sensitivities and specificities that characterize an individual s physical and mental development during adolescence, this period is critical for the development of executive function in adolescents. In the paper, the influencing factors of adolescents executive function development are systematically described from three dimensions, namely, biology, environment and lifestyle; by analyzing the mechanisms and differences in the effects of different influencing factors, this editorial provides a scientific basis for adolescents executive function improvement and intervention.