Short but intense exercise can improve memory, according to the results of a new study by American scientists. According to a team from Purdue University in Indiana just over forty minutes of strength training (with dumbbells) is enough to improve long-term memory in healthy adults. The researchers emphasize that common resistance exercises, such as squats, can have a similar effect.
“The results show that acute strength training positively affects executive functions, improves processing speed and working memory, and increases neuronal electrical activity,” the authors said. The study included 121 adults between the ages of eighteen and fifty who completed cardiovascular fitness tests and a lifestyle questionnaire. After two days, they all provided blood samples and underwent an EEG.
The first group then performed forty-two minutes of strength training with two sets of ten repetitions in each position: deadlifts, pull-ups, biceps curls, leg presses, triceps curls, and leg extensions. The other group just watched a resistance exercise video. The exercise was again followed by blood sampling and a second EEG.
Working memory was shown to improve slightly in those who exercised compared to those who just watched the video. The researchers admit that it is not clear why this occurs, but they hypothesize that increased blood lactate and higher blood pressure may speed up executive functions and thereby improve cognitive performance.
At the same time, they point out that the effect was measured immediately after exercise, so it is not possible to determine how long it lasts. “Clinically, these findings support the inclusion of strength training in exercise programs for acute improvement of executive function,” added.
