Acute Effects of Moderate-Intensity Continuous Exercise Versus HIIT on Cognitive Performance and Psychophysiological Responses in Physically Active Adults

NCT07400432 | Enrolling By Invitation

• 1 other identifier: QU 10-20-26
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 38
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to compare the immediate effects of two common types of exercise-moderate-intensity continuous exercise and high-intensity interval training (HIIT)-on attention, alertness, and physiological responses in physically active young adults. Attention and mental alertness are essential for learning, academic performance, and daily functioning. Previous research suggests that a single session of exercise can temporarily improve cognitive performance, but it is not clear whether moderate exercise or high-intensity interval exercise is more effective in producing these immediate benefits. In this study, participants will complete two supervised treadmill exercise sessions on separate days: one session of moderate-intensity continuous exercise and one session of high-intensity interval training. The order of the two exercise sessions will be randomized, and there will be a rest period of 48 to 72 hours between sessions. Before and immediately after each exercise session, participants will complete computerized cognitive tests that measure sustained attention and reaction time. Heart rate, oxygen saturation, perceived exertion, mood, and alertness will also be measured to evaluate physiological and psychological responses to exercise. By comparing the effects of these two exercise approaches within the same individuals, this study aims to identify which type of exercise leads to better immediate cognitive performance and favorable physiological responses. The findings may help guide exercise recommendations for improving attention, alertness, and overall mental performance in young adults.

Conditions

Sustained Attention; Cognitive Performance; Cognitive Performance During Physical Activity

Keywords

Exercise; High-Intensity Interval Training; Aerobic Exercise; SART; Psychomotor Vigilance Task; Exercise Intensity

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) Performance

  Sustained attention and response inhibition will be assessed using the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART). Outcome variables will include reaction time, accuracy, commission errors, and omission errors, reflecting participants' ability to maintain sustained attention and inhibitory control following acute exercise.

  Immediately before each exercise session (within the same day for both intervention conditions)

• Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) Performance

  Sustained attention and response inhibition will be assessed using the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART). Outcome variables will include reaction time, accuracy, commission errors, and omission errors, reflecting participants' ability to maintain sustained attention and inhibitory control following acute exercise.

  immediately after each exercise session (within the same day for both intervention conditions)

• Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) Performance

  Vigilance and reaction time will be evaluated using the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT). Outcome variables will include mean reaction time, number of attentional lapses, and response accuracy, reflecting participants' sustained alertness following acute exercise.

  Immediately before each exercise session (within the same day for both intervention conditions)

• Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) Performance

  Vigilance and reaction time will be evaluated using the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT). Outcome variables will include mean reaction time, number of attentional lapses, and response accuracy, reflecting participants' sustained alertness following acute exercise.

  immediately after each exercise session (within the same day for both intervention conditions)

Secondary Outcomes (8)

• Heart Rate Response During and After Exercise

  During each exercise session

• Heart Rate Response During and After Exercise

  Immediately after each exercise session

• Oxygen Saturation (SpO₂) Response

  During each exercise session

• Oxygen Saturation (SpO₂) Response

  Immediately after each exercise session

• Rating of Perceived Exertion Assessed by the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale (6-20)

  During each exercise session

Study Arms (2)

Moderate-Intensity Continuous Exercise (MICE)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants perform continuous treadmill exercise for 20 minutes at 60-70% of age-predicted maximum heart rate, including standardized warm-up and cool-down periods. Heart rate, oxygen saturation, and perceived exertion are monitored throughout the session to ensure protocol adherence and participant safety.

Other: Moderate-Intensity Continuous Exercise (MICE)

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants perform treadmill-based high-intensity interval training consisting of repeated short bouts at 85-95% of age-predicted maximum heart rate interspersed with brief recovery periods, with a total session duration of approximately 20 minutes including warm-up and cool-down. Heart rate, oxygen saturation, and perceived exertion are continuously monitored.

Other: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Interventions

Moderate-Intensity Continuous Exercise (MICE) OTHER

Participants perform continuous treadmill exercise for 20 minutes at 60-70% of age-predicted maximum heart rate. Each session includes a standardized warm-up period of approximately 3 minutes and a cool-down period of 2-3 minutes. Heart rate, oxygen saturation, and rating of perceived exertion are monitored throughout the session to ensure adherence to the target intensity and participant safety.

Also known as: Moderate Aerobic Exercise, Continuous Aerobic Exercise

Moderate-Intensity Continuous Exercise (MICE)

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) OTHER

Participants perform treadmill-based high-intensity interval training consisting of repeated short bouts of exercise at 85-95% of age-predicted maximum heart rate, interspersed with brief recovery periods. Total session duration is approximately 20 minutes, including standardized warm-up and cool-down periods. Heart rate, oxygen saturation, and rating of perceived exertion are continuously monitored to ensure safety and protocol compliance.

Also known as: High-Intensity Interval Exercise, Interval Aerobic Training

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 30 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Aged between 18 and 30 years.
• Physically active individuals, as assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ).
• In good general health.
• Cleared for physical activity participation based on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q).
• Enrolled as university students.
• Able and willing to provide written informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• History of cardiovascular, neurological, or musculoskeletal disorders that may affect exercise safety or cognitive performance.
• Presence of uncontrolled hypertension, recent concussion, or any medical condition contraindicating exercise.
• Use of medications that may influence cognition, mood, or cardiovascular responses.
• Pregnancy.
• Failure to pass PAR-Q screening without medical clearance.
• Heavy smoking or history of substance abuse.
• Visual or hearing impairments that could interfere with computerized cognitive task performance.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Qassim University: lead
• Cairo University: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Qassim University

Buraidah, Al-Qassim Region, 2100, Saudi Arabia

Location

Related Publications (6)

• Nanda B, Balde J, Manjunatha S. The Acute Effects of a Single Bout of Moderate-intensity Aerobic Exercise on Cognitive Functions in Healthy Adult Males. J Clin Diagn Res. 2013 Sep;7(9):1883-5. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2013/5855.3341. Epub 2013 Sep 10.

  PMID: 24179888 BACKGROUND

• Pujari V. Moving to Improve Mental Health - The Role of Exercise in Cognitive Function: A Narrative Review. J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2024 Feb;16(Suppl 1):S26-S30. doi: 10.4103/jpbs.jpbs_614_23. Epub 2024 Feb 29.

  PMID: 38595617 BACKGROUND

• Singh B, Bennett H, Miatke A, Dumuid D, Curtis R, Ferguson T, Brinsley J, Szeto K, Petersen JM, Gough C, Eglitis E, Simpson CE, Ekegren CL, Smith AE, Erickson KI, Maher C. Effectiveness of exercise for improving cognition, memory and executive function: a systematic umbrella review and meta-meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2025 Jun 3;59(12):866-876. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2024-108589.

  PMID: 40049759 BACKGROUND

• Olivo G, Nilsson J, Garzon B, Lebedev A, Wahlin A, Tarassova O, Ekblom M, Lovden M. Immediate effects of a single session of physical exercise on cognition and cerebral blood flow: A randomized controlled study of older adults. Neuroimage. 2021 Jan 15;225:117500. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117500. Epub 2020 Oct 24.

  PMID: 33169699 RESULT

• Yildirim MS, Guclu-Gunduz A, Ozkul C, Korkmaz S. Investigating the acute effect of low and moderate intensity aerobic exercise on whole-body task learning and cognition in young adults. Eur J Neurosci. 2024 Sep;60(6):5203-5216. doi: 10.1111/ejn.16504. Epub 2024 Aug 13.

  PMID: 39136270 RESULT

• Basso JC, Suzuki WA. The Effects of Acute Exercise on Mood, Cognition, Neurophysiology, and Neurochemical Pathways: A Review. Brain Plast. 2017 Mar 28;2(2):127-152. doi: 10.3233/BPL-160040.

  PMID: 29765853 RESULT

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Interventions

High-Intensity Interval Training

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Physical Conditioning, Human; Exercise; Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Due to the nature of the exercise interventions, participant and care provider blinding is not feasible. However, cognitive outcome assessors are blinded to the intervention order to minimize assessment bias. Data analysis will be performed using coded datasets to ensure objectivity.
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor, Consultant, Physical therapy and rehabilitation

Model Details: This study uses a randomized within-subject crossover design in which each participant completes two exercise interventions-moderate-intensity continuous exercise and high-intensity interval training-on separate days, with a 48-72-hour washout period. The order of the interventions is randomized so that each participant serves as their own control.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 30, 2026
• First Posted: February 10, 2026
• Study Start: October 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: March 1, 2026
• Study Completion: April 5, 2026
• Last Updated: February 10, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

SA (1)