Evidence mapPaperPMID 41488959Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychology2025

Comparative effects of single-task and dual-task acute moderate-intensity exercise on cortisol and cognitive performance.

Zhongshu Shao, Jiazheng Peng, Minggang Luo, Talifu Zikereya, Jinliang Chen, Kaixuan Shi

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Article in Frontiers in psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

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No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Zhongshu Shao *Department of Physical Education, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China.
Jiazheng Peng *Department of Physical Education, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China.
Minggang LuoSchool of Physical Education, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China.
Talifu ZikereyaDepartment of Physical Education, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China.
Jinliang ChenDepartment of Physical Education, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China.
Kaixuan ShiDepartment of Physical Education, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Acute physical exercise elicits neuroendocrine responses that may transiently modulate cognitive performance. While moderate-intensity single-task exercise (e.g., running) has been shown to improve cognition, the acute cognitive and hormonal effects of dual-task exercise, which involves cognitive load, remain underexplored. Objectives: This study aims to compare the effects of moderate-intensity single-task (5-km run) and dual-task (orienteering) exercise on salivary cortisol levels and cognitive performance in healthy young adults. Methods: Twenty-one male college students (age: 20.57 ± 2.57 years) participated in a randomized crossover design. Each participant completed both exercise conditions. Salivary cortisol and cognitive performance (assessed via 2-Back, Mental Rotation, and Bells visual search tests) were measured before and after exercise. Exercise intensity was standardized using VO₂max, and heart rate was continuously monitored. Results: Orienteering elicited a significant increase in salivary cortisol ( Conclusion: Dual-task exercise induced stronger neuroendocrine responses and broader cognitive benefits compared to single-task running. These findings suggest that integrating cognitive demands into exercise routines may enhance acute cortisol-driven facilitation of executive functions, highlighting the importance of such exercises in programs targeting cognitive and brain health.

Indexed as

acute exercisecognitive functionscortisoldual-taskexecutive functionHPA axismemoryorienteering

Identifiers

PMID41488959
PMCPMC12756883

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.