Does Ramadan Fasting Adversely Affect Cognitive Function in Young Females?

We examined the effects of Ramadan fasting on cognitive function in 17 female athletes. Data were obtained from participants of two fasting (n=9) and nonfasting (n=8) groups at three periods of the study (before Ramadan, at the third week in Ramadan, and after Ramadan). Digit span test (DST) and Str...

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Main Authors: Mahboubeh Ghayour Najafabadi, Laya Rahbar Nikoukar, Amir Memari, Hamed Ekhtiari, Sara Beygi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2015-01-01
Series:Scientifica
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/432428
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author Mahboubeh Ghayour Najafabadi
Laya Rahbar Nikoukar
Amir Memari
Hamed Ekhtiari
Sara Beygi
author_facet Mahboubeh Ghayour Najafabadi
Laya Rahbar Nikoukar
Amir Memari
Hamed Ekhtiari
Sara Beygi
author_sort Mahboubeh Ghayour Najafabadi
collection DOAJ
description We examined the effects of Ramadan fasting on cognitive function in 17 female athletes. Data were obtained from participants of two fasting (n=9) and nonfasting (n=8) groups at three periods of the study (before Ramadan, at the third week in Ramadan, and after Ramadan). Digit span test (DST) and Stroop color test were employed to assess short-term memory and inhibition/cognitive flexibility at each time point. There were no significant changes for DST and Stroop task 1 in both groups, whereas Stroop task 2 and task 3 showed significant improvements in Ramadan condition (p<0.05). Interference indices did not change significantly across the study except in post-Ramadan period of fasting group (p<0.05). Group × week interaction was significant only for error numbers (p<0.05). Athletes in nonfasting showed a significant decrease in number of errors in Ramadan compared to baseline (p<0.05). The results suggest that Ramadan fasting may not adversely affect cognitive function in female athletes.
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spelling doaj-art-75890ad652a04fbe9dad8a92f3c765732025-08-20T02:06:57ZengWileyScientifica2090-908X2015-01-01201510.1155/2015/432428432428Does Ramadan Fasting Adversely Affect Cognitive Function in Young Females?Mahboubeh Ghayour Najafabadi0Laya Rahbar Nikoukar1Amir Memari2Hamed Ekhtiari3Sara Beygi4Neuroscience Institute, Sports Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranNeuroscience Institute, Sports Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranNeuroscience Institute, Sports Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranResearch Center for Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranNeuroscience Institute, Sports Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranWe examined the effects of Ramadan fasting on cognitive function in 17 female athletes. Data were obtained from participants of two fasting (n=9) and nonfasting (n=8) groups at three periods of the study (before Ramadan, at the third week in Ramadan, and after Ramadan). Digit span test (DST) and Stroop color test were employed to assess short-term memory and inhibition/cognitive flexibility at each time point. There were no significant changes for DST and Stroop task 1 in both groups, whereas Stroop task 2 and task 3 showed significant improvements in Ramadan condition (p<0.05). Interference indices did not change significantly across the study except in post-Ramadan period of fasting group (p<0.05). Group × week interaction was significant only for error numbers (p<0.05). Athletes in nonfasting showed a significant decrease in number of errors in Ramadan compared to baseline (p<0.05). The results suggest that Ramadan fasting may not adversely affect cognitive function in female athletes.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/432428
spellingShingle Mahboubeh Ghayour Najafabadi
Laya Rahbar Nikoukar
Amir Memari
Hamed Ekhtiari
Sara Beygi
Does Ramadan Fasting Adversely Affect Cognitive Function in Young Females?
Scientifica
title Does Ramadan Fasting Adversely Affect Cognitive Function in Young Females?
title_full Does Ramadan Fasting Adversely Affect Cognitive Function in Young Females?
title_fullStr Does Ramadan Fasting Adversely Affect Cognitive Function in Young Females?
title_full_unstemmed Does Ramadan Fasting Adversely Affect Cognitive Function in Young Females?
title_short Does Ramadan Fasting Adversely Affect Cognitive Function in Young Females?
title_sort does ramadan fasting adversely affect cognitive function in young females
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/432428
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