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Acute Effects of Physical Activity on Cognition and Well-being in University Students

NCT06168526 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 120

Last updated 2026-05-07

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Previous studies in young adults have shown that physical activity can generate positive emotions and improve attention, among other cognitive functions. This highlights the importance of evaluating how physical activity can affect cognition and affective dimensions. However, to date, the dose of physical activity that could be most effective for these variables has not been established. This project aims to study the impact of acute physical activity on brain health in a university setting. Thus, this study will contribute to expand the current scientific literature on the acute effect of physical activity, a topic of great importance both in the educational field and from a public health point of view.

Conditions

  • Cognitive Change
  • Well-Being, Psychological

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Acute physical activity

Regarding the first aim, participants will go through five different conditions using a within-participants cross-over design in a randomized order: control group (quietly sitting), light intensity (40% VO2max), moderate intensity (63% VO2max), or vigorous intensity (100% VO2max) exercise. All conditions will last 16 minutes and 15 seconds. The exercise conditions will be organized following an interval protocol, which includes 22 bouts of 30 seconds running at the established intensity with 15 seconds of passive rest between bouts. In addition, to achieve the second aim, the active break will be designed taking into account the intensity of physical activity that proves to have the greatest benefits on cognition and well-being. It will include 12 blocks of 30 seconds of work, performing as many repetitions as possible, followed by 15 seconds of static rest. It will last last 9 minutes and will be conducted after a 2-hour lecture. During the active rest period, heart rate will be moni

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Universitat Jaume I

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Maria Reyes Beltran Valls, PhD · Universitat Jaume I

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SCREENING
Masking
SINGLE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
24 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2024-03-01
Primary Completion
2025-01-31
Completion
2026-03-15

Countries

  • Spain

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06168526 on ClinicalTrials.gov