Effects of neurobike cycling on EEG brain activity and mathematical performance : an intervention study

Abstract EN

The general purpose of the study was to promote the research on effects of physical activity on mathematical performance and brain functions, which is of particular interest regarding children’s education as well as for all adults.

Several studies have identified an influence of cycling on cognitive processes and brain activity.

In the present study, we investigated effects of cycling training on a special bicycle on spontaneous EEG brain activity and on mathematical performance of young adults.

Participants performed different interventions (special bicycle - NeuroBike, common bicycle, daily activity) in a two-week intervention with three 20-minute training sessions per week.

Spontaneous EEG was recorded before and after each training condition at rest as well as during different mathematical tests (algebra, arithmetic, geometry) before and after the two-week intervention.

Behavioral data show reduced mathematical performance in geometry after the NeuroBike and common bicycle intervention in comparison to daily activity.

EEG data reveal increased temporal and occipital theta power, occipital alpha power, and parietal and occipital beta power after the two week intervention without acute influence of NeuroBike cycling at rest.

Repeated NeuroBike training lead to increased frontal power in all frequency bands as well as temporal theta and alpha power during algebra performance.

The results indicate that continuous training on a NeuroBike fosters a beneficial brain state for learning at resting state, but does not lead instantaneously to an optimum brain state for active spatial processing in mathematical problem solving.