Comparison Between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Functions of Cognitive Control in Adolescents: A Tracking Study of 3 Years.

Purpose: Compare tracking groups with cognitive control functions and plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factors concentrations from childhood to adolescence.

Methods: This is a prospective study with 3 years of follow-up. At baseline, data from 394 individuals were collected (11.7 y), and data were obtained from 134 adolescents (14.9 y) at the 3-year follow-up. At both time points, anthropometric and maximal oxygen uptake data were collected. Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) groups were classified into high or low CRF. At follow-up, cognitive outcomes were collected via the Stroop and Corsi block test; plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factors concentrations were also analyzed.

Results: Comparisons demonstrated that maintaining high CRF over 3 years results in shorter reaction time, better inhibitory control, and higher working memory values. Likewise, the group that moved from low to high CRF over 3 years presented better reaction time. Plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factors concentrations were higher for the group that increased its CRF over the 3 years in relation to the low-low group (90.58 pg·mL-1; P = .004). However, after scaling by an allometric approach, differences were only found for reaction time and working memory between high-high and high-low groups.

Conclusion: Maintaining high CRF over 3 years was positively related to reaction time and working memory in relation to adolescents that decreased their levels of CRF.