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Research paper published in Mental Health and Physical Activity
A research group led by Lecturer Genta Ochi from the Department of Health and Sports at Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Lecturer Ken Ohno from the Department of Radiological Technology, and Assistant Professor Ryuta Kuwamizu from the Institute of Health and Sport Sciences at the University of Tsukuba has revealed that the combination of virtual reality (VR) and cycling exercise enhances both executive function and mood more effectively than simple cycling alone. Furthermore, they found that the improvement in mood during exercise is related to the enhancement of executive function.
This study was published on October 15, 2024, in the international journal Mental Health and Physical Activity, which focuses on physical activity and mental health.
Introduction
While exercise using virtual reality (VR) has been noted for its ability to enhance mood and thus facilitate exercise habits, its impact on brain function has remained unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate how VR-based exercise affects an important executive function known as working memory, as well as to explore the underlying neural mechanisms. A total of 23 healthy university students participated in this study, performing cycling exercises in a VR environment, with psychological and cognitive evaluations, along with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) assessments. The results showed that a 10-minute VR exercise session improved mood, particularly vigor, more than exercise or rest alone, and it also enhanced performance on a working memory task (3-back task). Additionally, the increase in vigor during VR exercise was found to be associated with improvements in working memory performance. However, the specific brain regions contributing to this performance enhancement were not identified. VR-based exercise, by elevating positive mood, could be an optimal exercise program to improve working memory function.
Research Methods and Results
This study examined the effects of a combination of VR and exercise (Figure 1A) on executive function and mood in 23 healthy adults, comparing it with exercise alone and rest conditions. All participants engaged in three conditions: 10 minutes of rest, cycling exercise, and VR-based cycling exercise. Psychological scales and the N-back task (an index of executive function; Figure 1B) were measured before and after each condition. The N-back task included three levels of difficulty: 0-back, 1-back, and 3-back, and brain activity was monitored using MRI during these tasks. The results showed that the VR cycling condition led to a greater increase in positive mood (vigor and liveliness) compared to the other conditions. While no significant differences were observed in performance on the easier 0-back and 1-back tasks, the VR cycling condition resulted in a significant improvement in performance on the most difficult 3-back task after exercise, compared to the other conditions (Figure 2). Furthermore, it was found that executive function improved in parallel with the increase in vigor. Although the fMRI analysis did not identify the neural mechanisms underlying the improvements in executive function and mood during VR cycling, the study suggests that an increase in vigor is crucial for the enhancement of executive function, with VR providing an effective environment to facilitate this.
Figure 1. Illustration of VR Cycling Exercise and the N-Back Task
• As the participant pedals the bicycle, the surrounding scenery moves, giving the impression of traveling through a virtual environment.
• Example of the N-Back task: One shape is presented at a time in the order of (a), (b), (c), (d), and the participant must determine whether the color of the current shape matches the color of the shape presented N steps earlier. In this example, during the 3-Back trial, when (d) is presented, the participant is instructed to press a button if the color matches the shape presented three steps earlier, which is (a).
Figure 2. Key Findings from This Study
Changes in reaction time before and after exercise/rest in the 3-Back task, an indicator of executive function. Shorter reaction times indicate higher executive function. In the VR exercise condition, reaction times were significantly shorter after exercise compared to both the rest and exercise conditions, indicating improved executive function.
Key Points of the Study
• The combination of VR and exercise improves mood, but its impact on executive function has been unclear until now.
• This study demonstrated that VR-based exercise enhances both mood and executive function.
• Furthermore, it was found that the greater the increase in vigor during VR exercise, the greater the improvement in executive function.
• The influence of mood during exercise is important for designing exercise programs that improve executive function, and VR may serve as a new exercise program that effectively enhances mood to improve executive function.
Title: Exercising with virtual reality is potentially better for the working memory and positive mood than cycling alone
Authors: *§Genta Ochi, *Ken Ohno, Ryuta Kuwamizu, Koya Yamashiro, Tomomi Fujimoto, Koyuki Ikarashi, Naoki Kodama, Hideaki Onishi, Daisuke Sato
(*: Co-first author, §: Corresponding author)
Journal: Mental Health and Physical Activity