Changes in cognitive control and mood across repeated exercise sessions

Acute exercise elicits benefits to cognition and mood. The consistency and accumulation of benefits across exercise sessions remains unclear. This exploratory study evaluated the reproducibility and accumulation of changes in cognitive control and mood across multiple exercise sessions. Thirty young healthy adults (18–35 years) were recruited to exercise (N = 14; age: 21.71 [SD = 1.64]; 57% female) or control (N = 16; age: 22.25 [SD = 3.68]; 56% female) groups. Participants attended six sessions over 2 weeks (EX = 20‐min mod‐intensity cycling; CO = 20‐min reading). Cognitive control was assessed using a Flanker task (accuracy‐adjusted response time, RT(LISAS)) pre‐/post‐intervention. Mood was reported 5×/day on exercise and non‐exercise days (pre, post, 11:30 am, 3 pm, and 8 pm) using the Bond–Lader VAS. Cognitive control and mood improved acutely (within session) following exercise compared with control (F(1, 592) = 6.11, p = .0137; F(1, 305.93) = 38.68, p < .0001; F(1, 307.06) = 13.69, p = .0003) and were consistent across sessions. Cognitive control also improved across sessions in both groups (F(5, 282.22) = 11.06, p < .0001). These results suggest that: (1) acute effects of exercise on cognition and mood are consistent across multiple sessions; (2) the Flanker task learning effects continue over many trials/sessions; and (3) accumulated mood effects require further investigation. Future studies should further explore the connection between acute exercise exposures and accumulated cognitive benefits.