The Impact of Recreational Rhythmic Gymnastics Training on Selective Attention and Working Memory in Women Adults

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-3149784/v1

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The Impact of Recreational Rhythmic Gymnastics Training on Selective Attention and Working Memory in Women Adults

https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3149784/v1

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Rhythmic gymnastics, renowned for its elegance and grace, demands a harmonious blend of physical prowess and cognitive aptitude. This study delves into the realm of recreational rhythmic gymnastics, aiming to assess its impact on selective attention and working memory in adult women. By employing the Stroop and N-Back tasks as executive function tests, we scrutinized the effects of an 8-week intervention period of rhythmic gymnastics. The results yielded significant findings (p < 0.05), particularly in the domains of incongruent answers within the Stroop test and the 2-back task of the N-Back test. Ultimately, our study concludes that engaging in rhythmic gymnastics as a recreational pursuit can effectively enhance both memory and attention in women.

Biological sciences/Psychology

Health sciences/Health care

Working Memory

Executive Function

Recreational training

Women

Rhythmic gymnastics (RG) is a captivating sport that combines grace, elegance, and precision, requiring a combination of physical prowess and cognitive skills to deliver a stellar performance ¹. Athletes in this discipline must possess qualities such as flexibility, strength, coordination, attention, and memory to excel ². These multifaceted requirements have sparked interest in exploring the potential benefits of rhythmic gymnastics training on cognitive functions.

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a growing need to address the health and well-being of individuals who have experienced the effects of the virus ³. Recent research has highlighted the long-term cognitive impacts of COVID-19, including difficulties in attention and memory ⁴. In this context, investigating the effects of recreational rhythmic gymnastics training on cognitive functions in adult women post-COVID could provide valuable insights into potential therapeutic interventions.

Previous studies have already demonstrated the positive effects of physical exercise on cognitive functions. Regular exercise has been shown to enhance attention, working memory, and executive functions in various populations (Hillman et al., 2008; Smith et al., 2010). However, limited research has specifically focused on the impact of rhythmic gymnastics, with its unique combination of physical and cognitive demands, on selective attention and working memory.

Executive functions are associated with the ability to focus attention on a given task and keep information in mind long enough to be able to correlate with different ideas, acquire academic knowledge, understand texts, inhibit irrelevant information. Some studies have linked better reading and math ability with working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility ⁵. The concept of attention is linked to the ability of human beings to select, filter, and organize, responding to significant stimuli. Another term used is selective attention, which is linked to the detection of stimulus importance and the need to inhibit competing stimuli, facilitating the selection of relevant and fundamental information for cognitive and behavioral performance ⁶. Another important factor of brain actions is memory, defined as the capacity that individuals must register, maintain, and remember information, experiences, or facts ⁶.

Working memory is linked to executive functions, being a limited temporary storage capacity, and through it is possible to manipulate information to perform complex tasks such as learning, language and knowledge production, making it possible to compare new information with other already consolidated ones, creating lines of thought ⁵. St Clair-Thompson (2006) ⁷ pointed out that working memory and inhibitory skills, such as selective attention, help in academic learning and in the acquisition of skills and knowledge. On the other hand, those who have difficulties in performing academic tasks have low-level cognitive functions ⁸. Violant-Holz et al., (2020), says that the post-pandemic moment changed the national scenario, where there was a reduction in the practice of physical activity and high rates of sedentary lifestyle were confirmed, the author still correlates the COVID-19 pandemic with a decrease in the practice of physical activity and physical and cognitive decline. So far, little is known about the effects of RG on cognitive function, especially attention and memory of practitioners, and this understanding will bring new approaches to various possibilities for applying the modality in the post-pandemic scenario.

To evaluate the effects of recreational rhythmic gymnastics training on cognitive functions, particularly selective attention and working memory, the present study employed the Stroop and N-Back tasks, well-established tests for assessing executive functions. These tests were administered before and after an 8-week intervention period of rhythmic gymnastics training. Among a plethora of sports, rhythmic gymnastics stands out as a discipline with immense potential for enhancing working memory and attention in adult women.

Thus, to test the effect of rhythmic gymnastics in the recovery of executive functions, we carried out a study cross-sectional study recruited university adult women from Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) in Presidente Prudente, with an average age of 21.17 ± 1.72, undergoing 8-week of rhythmic gymnastics training, working with physical difficulties and apparatus, lasting 1 hour. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee under protocol number 49298321.7.0000.5402, from Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) and followed the norms of the Brazilian Council for Ethics in Research with human beings.

Fifteen women aged between 19 and 24 years old started composing the convenience sample and met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate in the intervention by signing the informed consent form - TCLE. The following inclusion criteria were used: 1) being female, 2) aged between 18 and 25 years old, 3) being a university student, 4) signing the informed consent form, 5) participating in the pre and posttests RG training, and 6) attend at least 70% of physical training sessions. Exclusion criteria were: 1) having a history of cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and/or neurodeficiency diseases, 2) being a smoker and recreationally using illicit drugs. All participants passed the inclusion and exclusion criteria. During the training protocol, 5 participants were excluded due to the number of absences exceeding 30%, not meeting the established minimum attendance (Fig. 1).

The RG intervention comprised a total of 8 weeks, with two sessions per week lasting one hour. The sessions were planned according to the development of the participants, starting with basic movements to the most complex and adding movements with the devices, following the order of rope, ball, hoop, ribbon, and clubs. The lesson plan was contemplated as follows: 15 minutes of warm-up and stretching, performing strength, flexibility and mobility work, 40 minutes of development of the modality's skills, using the exercises proposed by the international scoring code as a reference, from the base with body control exercises to balance difficulties, jumps, pivots and the use of equipment, and finally 5 minutes back to calm.

In this study, we used tasks to assess cognitive changes before and after the RG training period. The battery was performed immediately at the beginning of classes at the beginning of the in-person resumption (baseline) and after the end of the physical training period with RG. The executive functions assessed were memory, attention, and speed of thought. Selective attention and inhibitory control were assessed using the Stroop test. This test evaluates selective attention, as it requires the individual to reallocate attention between the two dimensions that are presented, the name of the color and the color of the word that is printed ^10,11. The N-back task is a test that works with working memory, the test requires coding, storing information in memory and issuing responses, requiring the individual to keep the information and constantly update it, going beyond short-term storage. Baseline e post exercise performance were compared using Shapiro-Wilk to verify the fit of all datasets analyzed in the Gaussian model of distribution. The results were presented using descriptive statistics, with mean and standard deviation. Comparisons by study group were performed using the t-Student test for paired samples. Was used the linear regression and correlation of Person. All analyzes were performed using the SPSS program, version 21.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL) and statistical significance was set at 5%.

The Stroop task, a measure of selective attention and inhibitory control, exhibited remarkable improvements across all test slides (p < 0.05, Table 1). Notably, after the intervention period, there was a significant 3.17% increase in the Word raw score compared to the baseline (95%CI 0.7566 to 8.493; p = 0.025, Fig. 2A). Furthermore, a compelling positive correlation emerged, indicating enhanced performance following rhythmic gymnastics exercise (r = 0.79; p = 0.0030, Fig. 2B).

Table 1

Descriptive data of Rhythmic gymnastics practice and Values for the Stroop and N-Back Tasks.
Variables	Baseline	8-week	∆%	p-value
Age (years)	21,17 ± 1,72	21,28 ± 1,88	0.51	> 0.05
Weight (kg)	53,17 ± 9,24	53,08 ± 10,23	0.16	> 0.05
Height (cm)	155 ± 3,79	155 ± 3,79	-	> 0.05
Stroop
Word raw score	87.5 ± 10.07	90.75 ± 9.14	3.17	0.025*
Color raw score	66.0 ± 10.13	72.7 ± 9.8	10.15	0.026*
Color-word raw score	44.0 ± 8.16	50.1 ± 11.6	13.86	0.018*
Interference raw score	-22.1 ± 6.37	-26.0 ± 3.74	17.64	0.031*
N-Back
1-back	14.6 ± 3.8	18.8 ± 1.8	28.76	0.023*
2-back	9.8 ± 2.2	13.7 ± 2.7	39.79	0.0012**
3-back	12.6 ± 2.5	14.2 ± 2.9	12.69	0.029*
Sum	37.13 ± 7.6	46.8 ± 5.5	26.04	0.0015**
Total (%)	61.8 (46.6:85.0)	78.13 (65.0:95.0)	26.42	0.0078*

Legend: The results were presented using descriptive statistics, with mean and standard deviation. Comparisons by study group were performed using the t-Student test for paired samples. All analyzes were performed using the SPSS program, version 21.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL) and statistical significance was set at 5%. p≤0.05

Intriguingly, the intervention with RG demonstrated a noteworthy 10.15% increase in the Color raw score compared to the baseline, accompanied by a positive correlation (95%CI 1.009 to 12.24; p = 0.026, Fig. 2C and D). Of particular significance, the Color-word raw score showcased remarkable improvement among the participants, illustrating enhanced information classification and the ability to select the correct information. The average number of hits within the 45-second timeframe saw improvement, and a positive correlation was observed between baseline and RG exercise (95%CI 5.155 to 14.35; 13.86%; p = 0.018, Fig. 2E and F). Moreover, the interference effect, as assessed by the difference score, exhibited substantial enhancement after the 8-week RG intervention, accompanied by a positive correlation (Fig. 2G and H).

Turning to the N-Back task, which evaluates working memory, all tasks displayed significant improvements (p < 0.05, Table 1). Notably, the intervention period with RG led to a remarkable 28.76% increase in working memory for the 1-back task (p = 0.023, Fig. 2I), a notable 39.79% increase for the 2-back task (p = 0.0012, Fig. 2K), and a 12.69% increase for the 3-back task (p = 0.029, Fig. 2M). Particularly, the 2-back and 3-back tasks exhibited a positive correlation between baseline and the 8-week RG intervention (Fig. 2L and N). However, no significant differences were observed in the other results (Fig. 2J and P).

*** Fig. near here***

In the present study, we examined the performance of woman adults, participants of a rhythmic gymnastics program, investigate changes in executive functions. We identified that 8-weeks of RG training improved the working memory and attention of young adult. These findings align with previous research demonstrating the cognitive benefits of physical exercise, particularly in domains such as attention and memory ^12,13. Moreover, the unique combination of physical and cognitive demands in rhythmic gymnastics makes it a promising avenue for enhancing cognitive functions.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that physical activity can enhance performance not only on the Stroop task but also on a wide range of fluid cognitive tasks (Velichkovsky et al., 2023). Notably, rhythmic gymnastics has been found to significantly improve attention, which is particularly important considering that individuals often exhibit lower performance in rapid word reading and color naming tasks ³. Additionally, supporting the hypothesis that fluid cognitive functions underlie performance improvement with the RG protocol, various on-task psychometrics, such as the 2-back task, have revealed increases in underlying constructs like processing speed (1-back), working memory (3-back), and interference processing (Stroop) following RG activity ³.

Regarding the Stroop task, our results showed significant improvements across all test slides. This suggests that RG training contributes to enhanced selective attention and inhibitory control. The increase of 3.17% in the Word raw score compared to the baseline moment highlights the positive impact of RG on word-based attentional processing. This finding is consistent with previous studies indicating that exercise can enhance attentional performance ¹⁴. The positive correlation observed after the RG exercise period further supports the notion that RG has a beneficial effect on attentional abilities ¹³.

These findings align with previous research highlighting the positive effects of exercise on executive functions. The improvement of cognitive functions through RG can be attributed to the enhancement of physical conditioning. RG is categorized as an anaerobic resistance modality, characterized by high-intensity and short-duration routines ¹⁵). The existing literature also demonstrates significant improvements in working memory and executive function, including selective attention, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility, with aerobic exercises ¹⁶. Therefore, the results presented in our study identify RG as a modality capable of improving executive functions, despite being anaerobic.

Compared to activities such as aerobic exercises, rhythmic gymnastics (RG) offers a unique combination of rhythmic motor coordination, balance, and musical experience, along with distinct physical demands ¹⁷). Unlike other modalities, RG incorporates harmonious and challenging movements that require a greater range of body motion ¹⁸. Previous studies have shown that both physical training and dance lead to physical and neurological changes, resulting in improvements in cognition and memory ¹⁹. However, RG stands out by providing a more cognitive aspect compared to aerobic exercises, due to the complexity of the motor patterns involved and the attentional resources required ¹⁵. The practice of RG provides a conducive environment for cognitive enhancement, exploring motor skills and challenging mental processes of practitioners ²⁰. The combination of precise movements synchronized with music and the need for focused attention during routines require deeper cognitive engagement. These factors suggest that RG can be a valuable alternative to promote integrated cognitive development along with physical conditioning.

Limitations of our present study include a small sample size, highlighting the need for replication with a larger number of participants. We specifically chose to focus on exercising adults who were beginners in the sport to ensure the detection of genuine effects, prioritizing participant safety and minimizing liability by implementing conservative inclusion criteria. Furthermore, the study lacked quantitative data on various healthy habits, such as sleep routines, engagement in other physical activities, and dietary factors, which could potentially influence cognitive functioning. These factors require further research to determine the extent of their potential interference.

In addition to its contribution to the development of executive functions, rhythmic gymnastics also enriches the educational process by promoting body skills, balance, eye-hand coordination, laterality, spatial orientation, rhythmic perception, body expression, and perceptive-motor abilities. Our results indicate that this combination of cognitive demand and high-intensity anaerobic metabolism associated with rhythmic gymnastics can lead to improvements in executive functions. This study makes a valuable contribution to the literature, suggesting that the practice of rhythmic gymnastics not only benefits selective attention and working memory but also enhances overall quality of life.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

FUNDING

This study was partially funded by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development-CNPq (process numbers: 306492/2021-0) and the São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (FAPESP) with the process numbers 2020/16310-2; 2020/16166-9.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the present study come from human procedures and can be requested without restrictions from the corresponding author.

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No competing interests reported.

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The Impact of Recreational Rhythmic Gymnastics Training on Selective Attention and Working Memory in Women Adults

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