{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T05:09:54Z","timestamp":1788930594734,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788912000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Regular physical activity is known to benefit emotion and cognition, and acute moderate-intensity aerobic exercise has been shown to improve executive function, particularly inhibitory control, in healthy populations. However, whether these effects generalize across individuals with different levels of trait anxiety remains unclear. The present study investigated the effects of acute moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on state anxiety and inhibitory control in young adults with low and high trait anxiety using the Stroop task, with a particular focus on the temporal neural processes associated with Stroop performance.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Based on trait anxiety scores, participants were assigned to either the low trait anxiety (LTA,\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f=\u202f21) or high trait anxiety (HTA,\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f=\u202f21) group. All participants completed both a 30-min moderate-intensity aerobic exercise session and a resting control session. Following each session, participants completed a state-anxiety assessment and performed a color-word Stroop task while stimulus-locked event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Acute moderate-intensity aerobic exercise reduced state anxiety in the HTA group but not in the LTA group. Exercise also shortened response times and reduced error rates across both congruent and incongruent Stroop conditions in both groups. At the neural level, acute aerobic exercise was associated with less negative N400 amplitudes and larger sustained positive potential (SP) amplitudes during the Stroop task in both groups.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A single bout of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise selectively reduced state anxiety in individuals with HTA and broadly improved Stroop performance across both trait anxiety groups. These behavioral changes were accompanied by exercise-related modulation of N400 and SP amplitudes, suggesting alterations in neural processes associated with conflict-related cognitive control.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1944238","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T04:40:09Z","timestamp":1788928809000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The effect of acute aerobic exercise on inhibitory control in young adults with trait anxiety: an ERP study"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Li","family":"Yao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Sports Training, Chengdu Sport University","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shuliang","family":"Huang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Sports Training, Chengdu Sport University","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jianqi","family":"Bai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Sports Training, Chengdu Sport University","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhicheng","family":"Zhu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Physical Education, Xinyu University","place":["Xinyu, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.1080\/02640414.2020.1809976","article-title":"Cognitive effects of acute aerobic exercise: exploring the influence of exercise duration, exhaustion, task complexity and expectancies in endurance-trained individuals","volume":"39","author":"McCartney","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Sports Sci"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.1123\/jsep.2018-0244","article-title":"Effects of acute aerobic and resistance exercise on cognitive function and salivary cortisol responses","volume":"41","author":"Wang","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Sport Exerc Psychol"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1702","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2009.12.023","article-title":"Acute moderate exercise elicits increased dorsolateral prefrontal activation and improves cognitive performance with Stroop test","volume":"50","author":"Yanagisawa","year":"2010","journal-title":"NeuroImage"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"87","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brainres.2012.02.068","article-title":"The effects of acute exercise on cognitive performance: a meta-analysis","volume":"1453","author":"Chang","year":"2012","journal-title":"Brain Res"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"533","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tins.2020.04.010","article-title":"Effects of exercise on brain and cognition across age groups and health states","volume":"43","author":"Stillman","year":"2020","journal-title":"Trends Neurosci"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dcn.2017.10.007","article-title":"An event-related potential investigation of the acute effects of aerobic and coordinative exercise on inhibitory control in children with ADHD","volume":"28","author":"Ludyga","year":"2017","journal-title":"Dev Cogn Neurosci"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"289","DOI":"10.1111\/psyp.12784","article-title":"Acute exercise has a general facilitative effect on cognitive function: a combined ERP temporal dynamics and BDNF study","volume":"54","author":"Chang","year":"2017","journal-title":"Psychophysiology"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"154","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rppede.2016.01.005","article-title":"Acute effect of vigorous aerobic exercise on the inhibitory control in adolescents","volume":"34","author":"Browne","year":"2016","journal-title":"Rev Paul Pediatr"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"147","DOI":"10.1590\/2237-6089-2016-0044","article-title":"Trait vs. state anxiety in different threatening situations","volume":"39","author":"Leal","year":"2017","journal-title":"Trends Psychiatry Psychother"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100757","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mhpa.2026.100757","article-title":"The moving brain: a cross-pathways framework linking exercise to the modulation of aversive information processing","volume":"30","author":"Zhu","year":"2026","journal-title":"Ment Health Phys Act"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"86","DOI":"10.1186\/s40359-025-02376-x","article-title":"The effects of aerobic exercise on goal-directed attention and inhibitory control in individuals with high trait anxiety: an EEG study","volume":"13","author":"He","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Psychol"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"312","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tins.2009.02.004","article-title":"From high anxiety trait to depression: a neurocognitive hypothesis","volume":"32","author":"Sandi","year":"2009","journal-title":"Trends Neurosci"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"258","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2021.06.026","article-title":"The effects of acute aerobic exercise on executive function: a systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data","volume":"128","author":"Ishihara","year":"2021","journal-title":"Neurosci Biobehav Rev"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijpsycho.2021.06.008","article-title":"The effect of acute exercise for reducing cognitive alterations associated with individuals high in anxiety","volume":"167","author":"Pontifex","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Psychophysiol"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"372","DOI":"10.3758\/cabn.10.3.372","article-title":"Trait anxiety and dynamic adjustments in conflict processing","volume":"10","author":"Osinsky","year":"2010","journal-title":"Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2488","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuropsychologia.2010.04.022","article-title":"ERP indices for response inhibition are related to anxiety-related personality traits","volume":"48","author":"Sehlmeyer","year":"2010","journal-title":"Neuropsychologia"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1367","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsams.2019.07.009","article-title":"Effects of acute aerobic and resistance exercise on executive function: an ERP study","volume":"22","author":"Wu","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Sci Med Sport"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"252","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsycho.2011.10.016","article-title":"Trait anxiety and the dynamics of attentional control","volume":"89","author":"Osinsky","year":"2012","journal-title":"Biol Psychol"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"29","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2018.12.063","article-title":"Examining a training effect on the state anxiety response to an acute bout of exercise in low and high anxious individuals","volume":"247","author":"Lucibello","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Affect Disord"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"108","DOI":"10.13209\/j.0479-8023.1995.014","article-title":"The revised Chinese version of state-trait anxiety inventory in college students","volume":"1","author":"li","year":"1995","journal-title":"Acta Sci Nat Univ Pekin"},{"key":"ref21","volume-title":"Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory","author":"Spielberger","year":"1970"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"108144","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsycho.2021.108144","article-title":"Trait anxiety modulates the temporal dynamics of Stroop task switching: an ERP study","volume":"163","author":"Wu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Biol Psychol"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100363","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mhpa.2020.100363","article-title":"Acute moderate-intensity exercise generally enhances neural resources related to perceptual and cognitive processes: a randomized controlled ERP study","volume":"19","author":"Aly","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ment Health Phys Act"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.5040\/9781718225398","volume-title":"NSCA'S Guide to Tests and Assessments","author":"Miller","year":"2012"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"199","DOI":"10.1007\/7854_2024_498","article-title":"Exercise and anxiety","volume":"67","author":"Crombie","year":"2024","journal-title":"Curr Top Behav Neurosci"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"34","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mhpa.2018.06.003","article-title":"The acute effects of short bouts of exercise on inhibitory control in adolescents","volume":"15","author":"Gejl","year":"2018","journal-title":"Ment Health Phys Act"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102141","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychsport.2022.102141","article-title":"Positive affect moderates inhibitory control and positive affect following a single bout of self-select aerobic exercise","volume":"60","author":"Johnson","year":"2022","journal-title":"Psychol Sport Exerc"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"230","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2017.11.007","article-title":"Effect of aerobic exercise on hippocampal volume in humans: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"166","author":"Firth","year":"2018","journal-title":"NeuroImage"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1916","DOI":"10.1249\/mss.0000000000003492","article-title":"The benefits of acute exercise for children's cognition are associated with trait anxiety","volume":"56","author":"Ligeza","year":"2024","journal-title":"Med Sci Sports Exerc"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1641","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-8624.2010.01499.x","article-title":"A developmental perspective on executive function","volume":"81","author":"Best","year":"2010","journal-title":"Child Dev"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"390","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2014.00390","article-title":"Executive control training from middle childhood to adolescence","volume":"5","author":"Karbach","year":"2014","journal-title":"Front Psychol"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"663","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuropsychologia.2008.11.013","article-title":"Neural time course of conflict adaptation effects on the Stroop task","volume":"47","author":"Larson","year":"2009","journal-title":"Neuropsychologia"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"364","DOI":"10.1007\/s00426-008-0154-6","article-title":"Emotional Stroop task: effect of word arousal and subject anxiety on emotional interference","volume":"73","author":"Dresler","year":"2009","journal-title":"Psychol Res"},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"62","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mhpa.2017.02.002","article-title":"Acute effects of exercise on attentional bias in low and high anxious young adults","volume":"12","author":"Cooper","year":"2017","journal-title":"Ment Health Phys Act"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1944238\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T04:40:25Z","timestamp":1788928825000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1944238\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"references-count":34,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1944238"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1944238","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2565"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2565","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"article-number":"1944238"}}