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NCT Number: NCT07231536

Boosting Executive Function With Real-class Exercise

The goal of this study is to examine the effects of acute pre-class physical exercise on executive function in real classroom settings. The main question it aims to answer is, "Does acute pre-class exercise enhance executive function compared to sedentary conditions?" Participants were students from primary school assigned by class to engage in one of several pre-class conditions: mentally passive sitting, mentally active sitting, 5-minute physical exercise, or 10-minute physical exercise. A cluster-randomized trial design was used to ensure ecological validity in authentic classroom environments. Cognitive tasks measuring inhibitory control were administered at baseline and pre-/post-class.

The results indicate that pre-class exercise leads to greater improvements in inhibitory control than sedentary conditions, suggesting that integrating brief exercise sessions before lessons may be an effective strategy to optimize learning in educational contexts.

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Key information

Conditions

Executive Functions (EF)

Age range

9 year–13 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • right-handed, had normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity, and normal color vision

Exclusion criteria

  • reported a history of cardiovascular, metabolic, gastrointestinal, neurological, or psychiatric disorders or conditions requiring medical attention.

Treatment and study plan

Mentally active sitting

Behavioral

Participants remain seated for approximately 10 minutes before class while engaging in a cognitively stimulating activity designed to elicit mental effort without physical exertion.

5-minute physical exercise

Behavioral

Participants remain seated quietly for approximately 5 minutes before class without performing any structured cognitive or physical tasks. Then they will have 5-minute physical exercise before class.

10-minute physical exercise

Behavioral

Participants do 10-minute physical exercise before class.

Primary outcomes

  1. Domain- specific Cognition

    Time frame: Measurements were taken at three time points: baseline (0:00), after the 10-minute intervention (0:15), and following the 40-minute class (0:60).

    This indicator is measured using the computerized Children's Version of the math-related Negative Priming task. The underlying measures employed are task accuracy and reaction time, without involving any physiological measurements.

  2. Domain-general Cognition

    Time frame: Measurements were taken at three time points: baseline (0:00), after the 10-minute intervention (0:15), and following the 40-minute class (0:60).

    This indicator is measured using the computerized Children's Version of the Erikson Flanker task. The underlying measures employed are task accuracy and reaction time, without involving any physiological measurements.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Liye Zou, Doctor

CONTACT

[email protected]

+86 188 2343 7684

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Shenzhen University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Investigating Dual-Model Effects of Acute Pre-Class Physical Exercise on Inhibitory Control: A Cluster-Randomized Classroom Trial

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Nov 17, 2025
Registry last updated
Nov 17, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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