# A comparison of the acute effects of high intensity interval training and moderate intensity continuous training on working memory and emotional state in adolescent women with subthreshold depression

PMID: 40008151
Journal: Frontiers in Public Health
Published: 2025-02-07
Authors: Yuan S, Lin L, Liu L, Zhang X, Gu Q

## Question

How do acute HIIT, MICT, and sitting compare for working memory and emotional state in adolescent women with subthreshold depression?

## Summary

Forty-nine adolescent girls with subthreshold depression completed sitting, HIIT, and moderate continuous running conditions in a randomized crossover design. HIIT increased arousal but worsened pleasure/valence and produced slower working-memory reaction time than MICT, while accuracy did not differ.

## Population

- Adolescent female students with subthreshold depression.
- Sample size: 49
- Age: 16.3 +/- 0.5 years
- Sex: Female only
- Fitness level: No regular exercise in prior 6 months.
- Health status: Subthreshold depression; no clinically diagnosed neuropsychiatric disorder.

## Methodology

- Randomized crossover acute exercise study
- Three acute conditions separated by at least 1 week
- High-school/laboratory exercise testing setting
- Randomized and controlled study design.

## Protocol

- Running HIIT.
- Modality: Running/walking.
- Work intervals: 2 min running at target 90% estimated HRmax.
- Recovery: 2 min self-paced walking.
- Sets or repetitions: 5 intervals.
- Intensity: Target 90% HRmax; achieved mean 79.15 +/- 7.15% HRmax.
- Session duration: 25 min.
- Frequency: Single condition.
- Program length: Acute.
- MICT and sitting.
- Modality: Running or seated rest.
- Work intervals: MICT: 20 min continuous run at 65% HRmax; sitting: 23 min sitting.
- Intensity: MICT target 65% HRmax; sitting resting HR.
- Session duration: 25 min.
- Frequency: Single crossover condition each.
- Program length: Acute.

## Outcomes

### Accuracy
Status: no clear change
Working-memory accuracy did not differ by condition.

No condition effect or interaction.

### Reaction time
Status: worse/safety concern
HIIT produced slower reaction time than MICT.

491.16 +/- 113.67 ms vs 459.86 +/- 106.08 ms, p=0.046.

### Pleasure
Status: worse/safety concern
HIIT decreased pleasure/valence while MICT improved it.

HIIT p=0.02; MICT p<0.001.

### Arousal
Status: improved
HIIT and MICT increased arousal versus sitting.

HIIT>SIT p=0.011; MICT>SIT p<0.01.

## Practical Insights

- For adolescents with subthreshold depression, moderate continuous exercise may be more affectively acceptable than HIIT.
- Affective response should be monitored as a safety/tolerability signal.

## Limitations

- Female adolescent sample only.
- Acute crossover study cannot infer long-term effects.
- Baseline fitness, academic stress, and sleep were not accounted for.
- Actual HIIT intensity averaged below the nominal 90% HRmax target.

## Safety And Adherence

- No adverse events were reported.
- HIIT acutely decreased pleasure/valence and slowed working-memory reaction time versus MICT in adolescent girls with subthreshold depression.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40008151/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1505959) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11851122/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

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