The Effects of School-Based Physical Exercise With Different Cognitive Loads on Executive Functions

Introduction: the present study aimed to compare the effects of 3 school-based physical exercises with different levels of cognitive engagement on executive functions. materials and methods: in total, 47 students aged 13-14 years were randomly divided into 3 groups, as follows: the integrated physical and cognitive (ipc) exercise, peer physical exercise group (with the same physical challenge), and control group (the routine physical education program). a continuous performance test (cpt), the n-back test, and the stroop test were used to evaluate executive functions in pretest and posttest. results: the obtained results indicated that the ipc group significantly improved more than the other groups on the executive functions. accordingly, physical exercise with a higher cognitive load benefitted both speed and accuracy on cognitive tasks significantly more than the same physical activity alone. conclusion: therefore, in the integrated physical and cognitive exercise, the cognitive and physiological effects of this training style interact with each other; therefore, their beneficial effects can be gradually increased, while interventions that only focus on the physical dimension would be less effective in promoting cognitive functions.