Impact of Physical Exercise on the Executive Function and Mental Health of Heroin Addicts
PURPOSE Physical exercise offers profound pleiotropic health benefits, particularly for brain function. However, the impact of such exercises on the executive functions of heroin addicts and their negative thinking/affect remains underexplored. We investigated whether physical exercise improves exec...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Korean |
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The Korean Society of Exercise Physiology
2024-11-01
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| Series: | 운동과학 |
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| Online Access: | http://ksep-es.org/upload/pdf/ksep-2024-00402.pdf |
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| author | Chun-Lu Fang Guo-Hua Zheng |
| author_facet | Chun-Lu Fang Guo-Hua Zheng |
| author_sort | Chun-Lu Fang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | PURPOSE Physical exercise offers profound pleiotropic health benefits, particularly for brain function. However, the impact of such exercises on the executive functions of heroin addicts and their negative thinking/affect remains underexplored. We investigated whether physical exercise improves executive function and negative thinking/affect in male heroin addicts. METHODS We used a pre- and post-test experimental research design involving one control group and two experimental groups. Ninety male heroin addicts with no exercise restrictions were recruited. The participants were randomly divided into three groups (resistance exercise group (n=30), aerobic exercise group (n=30), and no-exercise control group (n=30)). Executive function was measured using the Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention, 2-Back Working Memory, and Switch Cognitive Flexibility Tests. All experiments were conducted in a quiet room. The Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90-R) questionnaire was used to assess psychological status. All variables were measured and evaluated before and after the intervention. RESULTS Participants exhibited a statistically significant decrease in response times following resistance exercise compared with pre-resistance exercise, as observed in both the flanker inhibitory control and attention tests, as well as the 2-back working memory test. Participants in the aerobic exercise group demonstrated significant reductions in reaction times on the 2-back working memory and switch cognitive flexibility tests, whereas performance accuracy significantly improved across all executive function tests. Additionally, the scores on the 10 subscales of the SCL-90-R showed a statistically significant decrease in the post-exercise period compared with the pre-exercise period. CONCLUSIONS Physical exercise is a good non-pharmaceutical intervention for improving executive function and mental health in male heroin addicts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1da14057db394535be64cfac8d9a6c7d |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1226-1726 2384-0544 |
| language | Korean |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | The Korean Society of Exercise Physiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | 운동과학 |
| spelling | doaj-art-1da14057db394535be64cfac8d9a6c7d2025-08-20T02:32:09ZkorThe Korean Society of Exercise Physiology운동과학1226-17262384-05442024-11-0133447749310.15857/ksep.2024.004021121Impact of Physical Exercise on the Executive Function and Mental Health of Heroin AddictsChun-Lu Fang0Guo-Hua Zheng1International College, Krirk University, Thanon Ram Intra, Khwaeng Anusawari, Khet Bang Khen, Krung Thep, Maha Nakhon, ThailandInternational College, Krirk University, Thanon Ram Intra, Khwaeng Anusawari, Khet Bang Khen, Krung Thep, Maha Nakhon, ThailandPURPOSE Physical exercise offers profound pleiotropic health benefits, particularly for brain function. However, the impact of such exercises on the executive functions of heroin addicts and their negative thinking/affect remains underexplored. We investigated whether physical exercise improves executive function and negative thinking/affect in male heroin addicts. METHODS We used a pre- and post-test experimental research design involving one control group and two experimental groups. Ninety male heroin addicts with no exercise restrictions were recruited. The participants were randomly divided into three groups (resistance exercise group (n=30), aerobic exercise group (n=30), and no-exercise control group (n=30)). Executive function was measured using the Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention, 2-Back Working Memory, and Switch Cognitive Flexibility Tests. All experiments were conducted in a quiet room. The Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90-R) questionnaire was used to assess psychological status. All variables were measured and evaluated before and after the intervention. RESULTS Participants exhibited a statistically significant decrease in response times following resistance exercise compared with pre-resistance exercise, as observed in both the flanker inhibitory control and attention tests, as well as the 2-back working memory test. Participants in the aerobic exercise group demonstrated significant reductions in reaction times on the 2-back working memory and switch cognitive flexibility tests, whereas performance accuracy significantly improved across all executive function tests. Additionally, the scores on the 10 subscales of the SCL-90-R showed a statistically significant decrease in the post-exercise period compared with the pre-exercise period. CONCLUSIONS Physical exercise is a good non-pharmaceutical intervention for improving executive function and mental health in male heroin addicts.http://ksep-es.org/upload/pdf/ksep-2024-00402.pdfaerobic exerciseresistance exerciseheroin addictsexecution functionthe symptom checklist-90 revised |
| spellingShingle | Chun-Lu Fang Guo-Hua Zheng Impact of Physical Exercise on the Executive Function and Mental Health of Heroin Addicts 운동과학 aerobic exercise resistance exercise heroin addicts execution function the symptom checklist-90 revised |
| title | Impact of Physical Exercise on the Executive Function and Mental Health of Heroin Addicts |
| title_full | Impact of Physical Exercise on the Executive Function and Mental Health of Heroin Addicts |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Physical Exercise on the Executive Function and Mental Health of Heroin Addicts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Physical Exercise on the Executive Function and Mental Health of Heroin Addicts |
| title_short | Impact of Physical Exercise on the Executive Function and Mental Health of Heroin Addicts |
| title_sort | impact of physical exercise on the executive function and mental health of heroin addicts |
| topic | aerobic exercise resistance exercise heroin addicts execution function the symptom checklist-90 revised |
| url | http://ksep-es.org/upload/pdf/ksep-2024-00402.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT chunlufang impactofphysicalexerciseontheexecutivefunctionandmentalhealthofheroinaddicts AT guohuazheng impactofphysicalexerciseontheexecutivefunctionandmentalhealthofheroinaddicts |