The impact of acute exergaming on short video-related inhibitory control: An event-related potential study

This study aims to explore the impact of acute exergaming on short video-related inhibitory control, and to compare its effectiveness with that of a conventional aerobic exercise (cycling ergometer). In a between-subjects design, 87 participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) exergaming, (2) cycling, or (3) control. Each participant engaged in 30 min of the assigned activity. Following the intervention, participants completed a Go/No-go task to measure their short video-related inhibitory control. Behavioral outcomes and event-related potential components were measured. The results showed that both acute exergaming and cycling enhanced the accuracy and P3 amplitudes for non-video app image stimuli (NVA). Acute exergaming specifically enhanced accuracy and P3 amplitudes for short-video app image stimuli (SVA), a pattern not observed following cycling. Latency analyses showed that exergaming and cycling resulted in shorter P3 latency than the control condition. In conclusion, while both interventions improved general inhibitory control, exergaming uniquely demonstrated enhancements in short video-related inhibitory control. These findings underscore the potential advantage of exergaming within its own contexts that benefit from higher cognitive, motivational, and multisensory engagement.