The purpose of this study was to determine if fitness levels of individuals affect cognitive function. This study seeks to show how response inhibition and accuracy are affected following a mentally fatiguing task. Response inhibition refers to the suppression of actions that are inappropriate and that interfere with goal driven behavior. Response inhibition in reference to the continuous performance task (CPT) is measured in false clicks. The tasks for the CPT were completed after either a controlled period of rest or moderate-intensity exercise. Subjects were either Georgia Tech Division I track athletes or students leading a sedentary lifestyle. All subjects participated in two test protocols. Athletic subjects completed the resting protocol first, while sedentary subjects completed the exercise protocol first. Subjects reported to the lab following an overnight fast. They completed an initial set of paper work and signed a consent form, filled out a 24 hour history form and completed a Profile of Moods States (POMS) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) form. Subjects then took a 20-minute (CPT). The CPT is a neuropsychological test that measures an individual’s sustained and selective attention. The length of the test is 20 minutes in order to induce mental fatigue. The goal of the test is to click in a white box when the letter T is seen. Immediately after subjects filled out a secondary set of paperwork. Once paper work was complete subjects either rested or exercised for 35 minutes. If subject was classified as an athlete, trial 1 was rest, while trial 2 was exercise. If subject was classified as a sedentary student, trial 1 was exercise, and trial 2 was rest. After the subject completed either the cycling or resting portion they repeated the CPT for five minutes. It was hypothesized that that the effects of moderate exercise positively affect the subject’s performance on the CPT. I expect false clicks following the 5 minute CPT to be lower after exercising. I hypothesize that for both groups their accuracy should be higher after moderate cycling and that higher fitness level should decrease the level of mental fatigue experienced throughout the CPT.

Au cours du vieillissement, un stress oxydant apparaît caractérisé par un déséquilibre entre la production des espèces réactives d’oxygène et les capacités antioxydantes de l’organisme. L’exercice physique aigu est associé au développement d’un stress oxydatif dont la réponse pourrait être influencée par le vieillissement. Très peu d’études se sont focalisées sur la réponse des paramètres du stress oxydant à l’exercice physique aigu en relation avec l’âge et celles existantes étaient réalisées chez l’animal. Le premier objectif de ce travail de thèse était d’étudier la réponse des paramètres du stress oxydant à l’exercice physique aigu chez des sujets jeunes et chez des seniors. Nos résultats ont montré que le vieillissement n’a pas d’effets sur les paramètres du stress oxydant au repos. En revanche, à l’exercice physique, nos résultats ont montré que le vieillissement se caractérise par une déficience aux niveaux des défenses antioxydantes et une augmentation des marqueurs du dommage radicalaire. D’autre part, la pratique physique régulière est un moyen efficace pour réduire les attaques radicalaires et renforcer les mécanismes de défense antioxydante. Ces adaptations à la pratique physique régulière sont souvent liées au niveau de l’activité physique et ceci a été déjà montré chez le sujet jeune. Le second objectif était d’étudier les paramètres du stress oxydant chez des seniors ayant des niveaux différents d’activité physique. Nos résultats ont montré une corrélation entre le niveau d’activité physique et le potentiel antioxydant. Néanmoins, un niveau élevé d’activité physique augmente le niveau des dommages radicalaires chez le senior. Compte tenu des effets de l’âge sur les paramètres du stress oxydant, les adaptations de ces paramètres à la pratique physique régulière pourraient être affectées par le vieillissement. Le troisième objectif de ce travail était d’analyser les effets de l’âge et du niveau d’activité physique sur les réponses des paramètres du stress oxydant à l’exercice aigu. Pour se faire, nous avons comparé ces paramètres chez 2 groupes de jeunes (actif et sédentaire) et 2 groupes de seniors (actif et sédentaire) avant et après l’exercice physique. Nos résultats ont montré que d’une part, les bienfaits de la pratique physique sur les paramètres du stress oxydant étaient plus marqués chez les groupes jeunes par rapport aux groupes seniors. D’autre part, les effets de l’âge sur les paramètres du stress oxydant chez les groupes actifs étaient moins importants que ceux notés chez les groupes sédentaires. / During aging, oxidative stress occurs characterized by an imbalance between the production reactive oxygen species and antioxidant capacity. It’s well recognized that acute exercise induces oxidative stress which response may be affected by aging. Only few studies have focused on the response of oxidative stress parameters to an acute exercise in relation with aging and they were not made in humans. The first aim of this work was to investigate the response of oxidative stress parameters to acute exercise in young and older subjects. Our results showed that aging has no effects on oxidative stress parameters at rest. However, in response to an acute physical exercise, our results showed that aging is characterized by an antioxidant defenses deficiency and an increase in free radical damage markers. On the other hand, regular physical activity is considered as an effective way to reduce free radical attacks and enhance the antioxidant defense. These adaptations to regular physical activity are often related to the level of physical activity and this has been shown in young subjects. The second aim of this work was to study oxidative stress parameters in elderly subjects with different physical activity levels. Our results showed a positive correlation between physical activity level and antioxidant potential. However, physical activity at high level increases free radical damage in older adults. In view of changes in oxidative stress parameters with aging, adaptations of those to regular physical activity could also be affected by aging phenomena. The aim of the third study of this work was to investigate the effects of aging and physical activity level on oxidative stress parameters responses to an acute exercise. To do so, we compared these parameters in two young subjects groups (active and sedentary) and two older adults groups (active and sedentary) before and after an acute exercise. Our results showed that, benefits of regular physical activity on the oxidative parameters stress were more pronounced in younger age groups compared to older groups. On the other hand, the effects of aging on oxidative stress parameters in the active groups were lower than those noted in the sedentary groups.

In this study the effects of age (18-55 years), differing levels of fitness (VO 2max ranging from 35.5 to 68.8ml.kg-1.min-1) and endurance training (10 weeks) on heart rate control were investigated. Fitness level was initially determined by a VO2max stress test, succeeded by cold hand and cold face pressor test of autonomic activity. Following these baseline measurements, the subjects (32 nonsmoking male volunteers) were endurance-trained three to four times a week for a 10-week period. The baseline tests were readministered following the 10-week dynamic exercise training period. These data suggest that a natural consequence of aging is a diminishment of autonomic heart rate control; however, endurance training appears to interrupt the aging influence. Individuals of low fitness level appear to have heart rate control dominated by the sympathetic system, while individuals with high fitness levels have a vagally dominated heart rate control system.

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