The relation between physical exercise and impulsivity during adolescence

During adolescence people undergo a vast array of neurological changes. Adolescents show increased levels of impulsivity due to an imbalance in neurological maturation. A plethora of literature looks into this subject and how this development can be influenced via healthy behaviours like physical exercise. This longitudinal study hypothesized that physical exercise has a decreasing effect on the development of impulsivity. Multiple regressions were carried out cross-sectional as well as longitudinal to assess whether physical exercise had a significant positive effect on impulsivity within one time point and over time. Cross-sectional results showed that a higher cardiovascular condition is strongly related to lowered impulsivity. The longitudinal analysis showed no significant results, implying that the effect of exercise on inhibition is not significant over time. This study provides preliminary evidence that exercise may have beneficial effects on adolescents’ levels of...Show moreDuring adolescence people undergo a vast array of neurological changes. Adolescents show increased levels of impulsivity due to an imbalance in neurological maturation. A plethora of literature looks into this subject and how this development can be influenced via healthy behaviours like physical exercise. This longitudinal study hypothesized that physical exercise has a decreasing effect on the development of impulsivity. Multiple regressions were carried out cross-sectional as well as longitudinal to assess whether physical exercise had a significant positive effect on impulsivity within one time point and over time. Cross-sectional results showed that a higher cardiovascular condition is strongly related to lowered impulsivity. The longitudinal analysis showed no significant results, implying that the effect of exercise on inhibition is not significant over time. This study provides preliminary evidence that exercise may have beneficial effects on adolescents’ levels of impulsivity, and discusses practical implicationsShow less

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The relation between physical exercise and impulsivity during adolescence