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Acute exercise-related cognitive effects are not attributable to changes in end-tidal CO2 or cerebral blood velocity

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Abstract

Purpose

Cognition, cerebral blood flow (CBF) and its major regulator (i.e., arterial CO2), increase with submaximal exercise and decline with severe exercise. These responses may depend on fitness. We investigated whether exercise-related changes in cognition are mediated in part by concomitant changes in CBF and CO2, in ten active (26 ± 3 years) and ten inactive (24 ± 6 years) healthy adults.

Methods

Participants completed two randomised sessions; exercise and a resting CO2-control—wherein end-tidal CO2 (PETCO2) was matched between sessions and clamped across conditions at exercise-associated increases (+ 3 mmHg) and hypercapnia (+ 10 mmHg). Exercise comprised inclined walking at submaximal and severe intensities. CBF was indexed using right middle cerebral artery blood velocity (MCAv). Cognition (visuomotor, switching and inhibitory response time) was measured before, during, and after exercise.

Results

MCAv and its inverted-U response to exercise were comparable between groups, whereas visuomotor performance improved during submaximal exercise in the active group only (p = 0.046). Submaximal, but not severe (p = 0.33), exercise increased MCAv (p ≤ 0.03). Hypercapnia increased MCAv during the CO2-control (27 ± 12%) and during submaximal exercise (39 ± 17%; p < 0.01). Despite the acute increases in MCAv, cognition was impaired during both levels of increased PETCO2 (3–6%; p ≤ 0.04), regardless of session. Overall, resting or exercise-related changes in PETCO2 and MCAv did not associate with changes in cognition (r ≤ 0.29 ± 0.34). Fitness (\(\dot{V}\)O2MAX) was associated with baseline cognition (r ≥ 0.50).

Conclusion

Acute increases in PETCO2 and MCAv were not associated with improved cognition. In fact, cognitive performance was impaired at both levels of increased PETCO2, regardless of session. Finally, fitter people were found to have better cognition.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

aRT:

Accuracy-adjusted response time

BP:

Blood pressure

CBF:

Cerebral blood flow

CO2 :

Carbon dioxide

CVRCO2 :

Cerebrovascular reactivity to changes in CO2

HR:

Heart rate

HRR:

Heart rate reserve

MCAv:

Middle cerebral artery blood velocity

PETCO2 :

Partial pressure of end-tidal CO2

\(\dot{V}\)O2MAX :

Maximum rate of oxygen consumption

VT2 :

Second ventilatory threshold

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Acknowledgements

We thank our participants for their time and effort; Nigel Barrett and Gavin Kennedy for their technical support and expertise; Dr. Ashley Akerman for his help in data collection; and the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences and Department of Medicine for funding support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Leena N. Shoemaker & James D. Cotter

  2. Department of Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Leena N. Shoemaker & Luke C. Wilson

  3. Department of Physiology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Samuel J. E. Lucas

  4. Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Leena N. Shoemaker & Liana Machado

  5. School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences and Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

    Samuel J. E. Lucas

Authors
  1. Leena N. Shoemaker
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  2. Luke C. Wilson
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  4. Liana Machado
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  5. James D. Cotter
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design and interpretation of results. Data collection and analysis were performed by LNS, LCW and JDC. The first draft of the manuscript was written by LNS and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Luke C. Wilson.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Communicated by I. Mark Olfert.

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Shoemaker, L.N., Wilson, L.C., Lucas, S.J.E. et al. Acute exercise-related cognitive effects are not attributable to changes in end-tidal CO2 or cerebral blood velocity. Eur J Appl Physiol 120, 1637–1649 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04393-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04393-7

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