A randomised crossover trial of nitrate and breakfast on prefrontal cognitive and haemodynamic response functions.

It remains unknown whether dietary nitrate and breakfast may enhance working memory (WM) performance by augmenting physiological mechanisms and subjective psychological well-being. We performed a 3-arm randomised within-subject crossover study, with pretest-posttest comparisons, to test whether nitrate consumption via breakfast with a beetroot juice shot or regular breakfast compared to no breakfast improved WM (measured with n-back tests) and cognitive task-related changes in prefrontal cortical haemodynamic response (oxygenated- and deoxygenated-haemoglobin derived from functional near-infrared spectroscopy). In addition, effects on peripheral vascular function and self-reported psychological factors were assessed.

Short, frequent physical activity breaks improve working memory while preserving cerebral blood flow in adolescents during prolonged sitting - AbbaH teen, a randomized crossover trial.

Purpose: Physical activity (PA) breaks during school lessons have been suggested as a promising strategy to improve working memory performance in children and adolescents. There is a lack of studies investigating the underlying physiological mechanisms of PA on cognition, especially among adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different types of short frequent PA on adolescents' cognitive task-related changes in cerebral blood flow in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and working memory performance compared to prolonged sitting.

Acute effects of nitrate and breakfast on working memory, cerebral blood flow, arterial stiffness, and psychological factors in adolescents: Study protocol for a randomised crossover trial.

Background: Inorganic nitrate has been shown to acutely improve working memory in adults, potentially by altering cerebral and peripheral vasculature. However, this remains unknown in adolescents. Furthermore, breakfast is important for overall health and psychological well-being.

Effects of prolonged sitting and physical activity breaks on measures of arterial stiffness and cortisol in adolescents.

Aim: In adults, prolonged periods of sitting have been linked to acute negative effects on vascular structure and function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute effects of physical activity (PA) breaks during prolonged sitting on arterial stiffness, cortisol and psychological factors in adolescents.

Methods: Adolescents underwent different short (3-min) breaks starting every 20 min, during 80 min of sitting on three separate days.

ABBaH teens: Activity Breaks for Brain Health in adolescents: study protocol for a randomized crossover trial.

Background: Physical activity breaks are widely being implemented in school settings as a solution to increase academic performance and reduce sitting time. However, the underlying physiological mechanisms suggested to improve cognitive function from physical activity and the frequency, intensity, and duration of the breaks remain unknown. This study will investigate the effects of frequent, short physical activity breaks during prolonged sitting on task-related prefrontal cerebral blood flow, cognitive performance, and psychological factors.