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Boosting Executive Function With Real-class Exercise
Sponsor: Shenzhen University
Summary
The goal of this study is to examine the effects of acute pre-class physical exercise on executive function in real classroom settings. The main question it aims to answer is, "Does acute pre-class exercise enhance executive function compared to sedentary conditions?" Participants were students from primary school assigned by class to engage in one of several pre-class conditions: mentally passive sitting, mentally active sitting, 5-minute physical exercise, or 10-minute physical exercise. A cluster-randomized trial design was used to ensure ecological validity in authentic classroom environments. Cognitive tasks measuring inhibitory control were administered at baseline and pre-/post-class. The results indicate that pre-class exercise leads to greater improvements in inhibitory control than sedentary conditions, suggesting that integrating brief exercise sessions before lessons may be an effective strategy to optimize learning in educational contexts.
Official title: Investigating Dual-Model Effects of Acute Pre-Class Physical Exercise on Inhibitory Control: A Cluster-Randomized Classroom Trial
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
9 Years - 13 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
240
Start Date
2025-12-01
Completion Date
2026-06-16
Last Updated
2025-11-17
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
Mentally active sitting
Participants remain seated for approximately 10 minutes before class while engaging in a cognitively stimulating activity designed to elicit mental effort without physical exertion.
5-minute physical exercise
Participants remain seated quietly for approximately 5 minutes before class without performing any structured cognitive or physical tasks. Then they will have 5-minute physical exercise before class.
10-minute physical exercise
Participants do 10-minute physical exercise before class.