Nicole E Logan

University of Rhode Island | URI · Department of Kinesiology

The prevalence of physical inactivity in children has become a global pandemic and has consequences for physical, as well as cognitive and brain, health. Single bouts of physical activity (PA), however, have shown a transient, positive effect on cognitive performance in preadolescent children. Acute bouts of moderate to vigorous PA have demonstrate...

Background Physical activity (PA) is beneficial for cognitive and brain health during preadolescence. Given that childhood obesity (OB) is a public health concern, investigating this effect in children with OB is an important societal consideration. Objectives To identify the effects of weight status and PA on neuroelectric indices of executive fu...

Physical activity (PA) can improve physical, mental, cognitive, and brain health throughout the lifespan. During preadolescent childhood, the benefits of PA for cognitive health have been widely studied, with evidence indicating enhanced executive control, improved academic performance, and adaptation in underlying brain structure and function. Acr...

Purpose: Childhood obesity is a global health concern, with >340 million youth considered overweight or obese. In addition to contributing greatly to health care costs, excess adiposity associated with obesity is considered a major risk factor for premature mortality from cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and is also negatively associated wit...

Introduction The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of after-school sports and physical activity (PA) participation on brain health between samples matched on socioeconomic and demographic factors. Methods Data were obtained from the Child Mind Institute Healthy Brain Network’s protocol. Participants completed four lab assessment days...

Did you know that exercise may help your brain work better? Scientists are studying how kids’ brains respond to exercise and how physical activity may help kids learn better in school. Using equipment that can help them to see the structure and function of the brain, scientists can measure and record what the brain is doing while kids engage in tas...

Obesity during childhood has been associated with many important physiological and neurological health considerations. Specifically concerning are the associations between youth obesity and declines in mental health, as shown with increasing rates of adolescent depression and anxiety worldwide. The emergence of mental health disorders commonly aris...

Obesity during childhood has been associated with many important physiological and neurological health considerations. Specifically concerning are the associations between youth obesity and declines in mental health, as shown with increasing rates of adolescent depression and anxiety worldwide. The emergence of mental health disorders commonly aris...

Background:Obesity is an epidemic, affecting >340 million children and adolescents worldwide. When left untreated, obesity increases the risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cognitive decline, and mental health disorders. However, enhanced cardiovascular fitness through participation in exercise can prevent obesity, and consequentl...

As trends in physical inactivity continue to increase throughout the lifespan, one prominent area of interest is the cumulative benefits of participating in physical activity. Recent literature has demonstrated the cognitive and brain benefits associated with one such population, elite athletes. However, it is unclear which aspects of the athlete e...

There is an increasing prevalence of poor health behaviors during childhood, particularly in terms of physical activity and nutrition. This trend has occurred alongside a growing body of evidence linking these behaviors to cognitive function. B-vitamins are thought to be particularly important in the neural development that occurs during pregnancy,...

Identifying the effects of exercise and body composition on cognitive and neuroelectric indices of attentional allocation in preadolescent children.

The effects of optimal and insufficient hydration on human health have received increasing investigation in recent years. Specifically, water is an essential nutrient for human health, and the importance of hydration on cognition has continued to attract research interest over the last decade. Despite this focus, children remain a relatively unders...

Differential Relationships of Fitness and Adiposity on Cognitive Function

The aim of this study was to reanalyze several datasets to investigate the relation of childhood aerobic fitness on cognition via a number of task performance outcomes and the P3 event-related brain potential component during a modified flanker task, which modulates inhibitory control demands. In a sample of 702 preadolescent children (ages 8–11; 3...