Author(s): YUUKI, I., DORA, K.1, MATSUMURA, T.1, FUKUZAWA, K.1, MURAKAMI, Y.1, HASHIMOTO, K.1, TSUKAMOTO, H.2, HASHIMOTO, T.1, Institution: RITSUMEIKAN UNIVERSITY, Country: JAPAN, Abstract-ID: 2239

INTRODUCTION:
A single intake of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) improves inhibitory control (IC) 75 min after intake [1], a component of executive function (EF), which is a higher-order cognitive function involved in decision-making. EF also comprises working memory (WM) updating ability; however, MCT had no acute effect on WM [1]. Meanwhile, a 30-min bout of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (MIAE) improves WM [2] as well as IC [3]. This study aimed to examine whether MIAE not only augments MCT-induced improvements in IC but also provides benefits for WM following MCT intake.
METHODS:
Eighteen healthy young adults (21 ± 2 years) performed a 30-min MIAE (50–70% heart rate reserve) ≈45 min after MCT intake. IC was assessed using the color–word Stroop task (CWST) and measured at four time points: baseline, 35 min after MCT intake (PreEX), immediately after MIAE (PostEX0), and 35 min after MIAE (PostEX35). The CWST was programmed to include three trials in a randomized order: a congruent trial as an easier facilitation condition, a black-word neutral trial as a control condition, and an incongruent trial as an interference condition. For the CWST, the number of errors and correct reaction time (RT) were recorded. WM was assessed using a face n-back task (NBT) at baseline and PostEX0. For the NBT, facial images were displayed in a random order, and participants decided whether the current image matched the 1-back (easy WM) or 2-back images (complex WM). The same outcomes were assessed and analyzed separately for match and no-match trials. CWST outcomes were analyzed using one-way repeated measures ANOVA. Post-hoc tests were conducted using paired t-tests with the Benjamini–Hochberg FDR correction. NBT outcomes were analyzed using paired t-tests.
RESULTS:
The number of errors in all trials was not changed throughout the experiment (all P > 0.05). In the CWST, MCT intake shortened RTs of the neutral and incongruent trials (Baseline vs. PreEX; both P < 0.05), while congruent trial RTs were unchanged (P > 0.05). Moreover, these MCT-induced RT improvements were further improved immediately after MIAE (PreEX vs. PostEX0, both P < 0.01). Whereas both RTs 35 min after MIAE returned to PreEX level (PostEX0 vs. PostEX35, both P < 0.05), they remained shorter than baseline (vs. PostEX35; both P < 0.05). For the NBT, MIAE shortened RTs in the 1-back no-match trial (P = 0.02), 2-back match (P = 0.01), and 2-back no-match trials (P < 0.01).
CONCLUSION:
MCT improves IC in 35 min after intake, and MCT-induced improvements in IC could be further enhanced immediately after MIAE. Moreover, IC measured 35 min after MIAE following MCT intake was still better than baseline, although it is unclear whether this effect was due to MCT, MIAE, or their combination. Additionally, MIAE following MCT intake is capable of improving WM. Thus, adding MIAE to MCT may offer greater acute benefits relevant to cognitive health.

REFRENCES:
1. Yuuki et al. 2026
2. Morris et al. 2011
3. Tsukamoto et al. 2017