Abstract :
Context: Cognition and motor skills both play a foundational role in the development of healthy perceptual, social life. Due to lack of exercise motor dysfunction and cognitive impairment is seen in young adults. Aerobic exercise has emerged as a lowcost treatment to improve neurocognitive function. Hence this study was undertaken to study the effects of willingness to exercise on cognition and motor skills.
Aims: To measure learning, memory and motor skills in medical students.
Settings and Design: Department of physiology. An observational study. In this study the one hundred fifty students were given a self-prepared questionnaire which gives information about willingness to exercise. Among these students two groups were made based on inclusion and exclusion criteria each consisting 15 students. One group willing to exercise and other not willing to exercise. Every week a set of students were examined for learning, memory and motor skills by star mirror drawing apparatus,Recall and recognition testTweezer Dexterity testrespectively.
Statistical Analysis: The data obtained was entered in master chart and analysed using Student’s paired t test for statistical significance.
Results: The mean scores for the willingness to exercise group in recall -recognition and tweezer dexterity were higher. In star mirror tracing test the number of errors made by both the groups were same but standard deviation was less in willingness to exercise group than in normal control group.
Conclusions: Willingness to exercise improves learning, memory and motor skills.
Key Messages: WHO defines exercise is a subset of physical activity that is planned, structured and repetitive improvement or maintenance of physical fitness. There is a positive relationship between physical activity and cognition in children aged 4-18 years. Hence it is responsibilities of parents and teachers to teach about importance of exercise.
Keyword :
Exercise, Tweezer dexterity, Recallrecognition, Star mirror tracing.