The Effects of Acute Cycling on Executive Control

This study will examine whether 10-minute bouts of cycling at various intensities will impact executive functioning (i.e., cognitive ability) as assessed by the antisaccade (AS) task through a total of five visits. An antisaccade is a rapid eye movement away from a visual target. The ability to suppress making an eye movement towards a visual target gauges inhibitory control (i.e., a domain of executive functioning). In the initial visit, participants' exercise capacity will be assessed through a maximal effort cycling test. Intensities for the cycling bouts (i.e., high, moderate, low) in subsequent sessions will be based upon this maximal effort cycling test. In visits 2 through 5, participants will complete an AS task, followed by a 10-minute bout of cycling, and then complete the AS task again. The order of cycling intensities will be randomized between participants. Differences in the AS task (i.e., reaction time and accuracy) will be compared between and within cycling conditions.