# The Influence of Acute Sprint Interval Training on Cognitive Performance of Healthy Younger Adults

PMID: 35010873
Journal: International journal of environmental research and public health
Published: 2022 Jan 5
Authors: Herold F, Behrendt T, Meißner C, Müller NG, Schega L

## Question

Does a single session of reduced-exertion sprint interval training acutely affect cognitive performance in healthy younger adults?

## Summary

In a randomized crossover study, healthy young adults completed one very short sprint-interval cycling session and one seated reading control session. Ten minutes after exercise, selective-attention error rate improved relative to control, while most other attention and working-memory measures did not change.

## Population

- Healthy right-handed young adults with low exercise-risk screening.
- Sample size: 19
- Age: 22.7 +/- 2.3 years
- Sex: 11 women and 8 men
- Fitness level: Healthy young adults; baseline training status not the focus
- Health status: Healthy and low risk by PAR-Q

## Methodology

- Randomized within-subject crossover trial
- Acute single-session condition with at least 5 days between experimental visits
- Laboratory cycling and cognitive testing
- Randomized and controlled study design.

## Protocol

- Single-session reduced-exertion HIIT.
- Modality: Wattbike cycling sprints.
- Work intervals: 6 seconds.
- Recovery: 1 minute passive rest.
- Sets or repetitions: 6 all-out sprints.
- Intensity: All-out sprint with fixed high resistance setting.
- Session duration: About 20 minutes including warm-up and rests.
- Frequency: One acute session.
- Program length: Single session.
- Seated reading control.
- Modality: Seated rest/reading.
- Intensity: Rest.
- Session duration: 20 minutes.
- Frequency: One acute session.
- Program length: Single session.

## Outcomes

### d2 error rate
Status: improved
Error percentage improved more after sprint intervals than after seated control.

F% condition difference t(18) about 2.25, p=0.037, d=-0.516.

### Attention speed
Status: no clear change
Total processed items and concentration performance did not significantly differ between conditions.

GZ p=0.152; SKL p=0.074.

### Digit span
Status: no clear change
Forward and backward digit span did not significantly differ between exercise and control.

DSF p=0.105; DSB p=0.830.

### Feeling scale
Status: worse/safety concern
Feeling scores were lower after sprint intervals than control, although average affect remained positive.

After exercise p=0.013; after post-test p=0.004.

### Blood lactate
Status: improved
Sprint intervals substantially increased lactate, and lactate changes correlated with d2 attention metrics in the exercise condition.

Lactate higher than control p<0.001; exercise-condition correlations with GZ, SKL, and F% reported.

## Practical Insights

- A very brief all-out sprint protocol may acutely improve one attention-error metric, but effects were narrow.
- Most cognitive outcomes did not improve, so cognitive claims should be specific and cautious.
- The protocol is not a general low-barrier HIIT prescription because it used all-out cycling sprints and laboratory testing.

## Limitations

- Small sample.
- Acute single-session design.
- Sex effects were not analyzed.
- No sham exercise or different-intensity comparator.
- The authors noted no easy physiological marker verified true all-out effort.

## Safety And Adherence

- One of 20 recruited participants dropped out for personal reasons before completion.
- No adverse events were reported.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35010873/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010613) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8745010/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

Preserve the paper-level scope of this note. Do not generalize beyond the population, protocol, measured outcomes, and limitations above.