Inhibitory control, brain function and exercise in special populations
Executive function, prefrontal cortex, cardiorespiratory fitness, drug addiction, children and fat mass.
Inhibitory control is an executive function based on the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and is suggested to play a key role in healthy behaviors. Impairment of this cognitive function has been described in individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) or obesity. On the other hand, aerobic exercise and cardiorespiratory fitness has been shown to improve cognition suggesting its potential role in preventing and treating impulsivity and unhealthy behaviors. Here we present four studies that investigated the interaction between inhibitory control, brain function, and exercise in individuals with substance use disorder and children with different body composition. In the first study, we showed the acute effects of aerobic exercise on inhibitory control and PFC oxygenation in individuals with SUD. On the second study, we review the chronic effects of aerobic exercise in individuals with SUD and propose a psychobiological model of exercise for future clinical trials in this population. On the third study, we showed how fat mass in children was associated with poorer food-specific inhibitory control, independent of the cardiorespiratory fitness. And, in the fourth study, using an MRI scanner, we have identified the neural correlates associated with the food-specific inhibitory control in children. Together, our studies show the potential benefits of keeping healthy behaviors, such as aerobic exercising and decreased levels of fat mass, on cognitive and brain function in special populations.