Resist forgetting: Effects of aerobic and resistance exercise on prospective and retrospective memory.

Previous research indicates that an acute bout of exercise enhances retrospective memory (i.e., memory for previously learned information, facts, and events). However, the vast majority of this research has used aerobic exercise, and few studies have examined the effects of acute bouts of resistance exercise (strength training). Moreover, researchers have yet to examine the effects of either aerobic or resistance exercise on prospective memory (i.e., the ability to remember to execute tasks in the future). Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of acute bouts of aerobic and resistance exercise on prospective and retrospective memory. A between-groups experimental design was used in which 120 students were randomly assigned to watch viral videos for 30 min while performing moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, or sitting (control). Three prospective memory tests and two retrospective memory tests were assigned before the exercise phase. Participants were instructed to execute one prospective memory test during the exercise phase and to execute the remaining prospective and retrospective memory tests after the exercise phase. Relative to aerobic exercise, sitting enhanced prospective memory performance during the exercise phase. In contrast, relative to sitting and aerobic exercise, resistance exercise enhanced performance on one of the prospective memory tests that required execution after the exercise phase. These results indicate that prospective memory is diminished during acute bouts of aerobic exercise (likely due to distraction) but is enhanced shortly after resistance exercise. Thus, resistance exercise may represent a viable strategy for improving prospective memory. (APA PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved)