Acute and chronic physical activity improve spatial memory in an immersive virtual reality task

RAMÍREZ BUTAVAND, DANIELA; RODRÍGUEZ, FLORENCIA; CIFUENTES, VIRGINIA; MIRANDA, MAGDALENA; GARCÍA BAUZA, CRISTIAN; BALLARINI, FABRICIO; BEKINSCHTEIN, PEDRO

iScience

Cell Press, Elsevier

Lugar: Cambridge; Año: 2023

2589-0042

Physical activity benefits both fitness and cognition. However, its effect on long-term memory is unclear. In this study, we evaluated the effect of acute and chronic exercise on long-term spatial memory for a new virtual reality task. Participants were immersed in the virtual environment and navigated a wide arena that included target objects. We assessed spatial memory in two conditions (encoded targets separated by a short or long distance) and found that 25 minutes of cycling after encoding - but not before retrieval - was sufficient to improve the long-term memory retention for the short, but not for the long distance. Furthermore, we found that participants who engaged in regular physical activity showed memory for the short-distance condition whereas controls did not. Thus, physical activity could be a simple way to improve spatial memories.