Date of Award

2024

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Neurosciences

First Advisor

Nicole Logan

Abstract

Previous research demonstrates that cognitive and brain function and development during childhood are associated with greater physical activity (PA) levels, fitness, income, less adverse early life experiences (ELE), healthier body mass index (BMI), body composition of lean and fat mass, and fewer experiences of mental health disorders.

We used the Child Mind Institute’s Healthy Brain Network open-access dataset to evaluate neurocognitive outcomes in children. We predicted that children with combined greater SES and positive physical health outcomes, alongside fewer adverse ELE, will exhibit greater cognitive function and resting state electroencephalography (EEG) outcomes, and fitness and PA will positively protect neurocognitive function despite the attenuated functioning associated with adverse ELE and poor health.

Regressions on cognitive function outcomes (working memory, executive function, attention control, processing speed) were used as dependent variables. Demographic variables (IQ, parent education, occupational prestige, neighborhood safety, and household income) (step 1), PA, fitness, body composition, and BMI (step 2), and adverse early life experiences (ADHD, anxiety, learning problems, aggressive and problematic behaviors) (step 3) were added hierarchically. Between-group resting-state EEG data was analyzed to determine differences due to greater levels of PA and SES.

Regressions indicated that three prominent aspects of SES (household income, parental education, parental occupation) were positively associated with cognitive functioning, despite the presence of ELE (learning problems, ADHD, social anxiety), for processing speed (R2 = 0.060, p = 0.001), working memory index (R2 = 0.150, p = 0.001), list-sort working memory (R2 = 0.123, p = 0.000), and flanker attentional control (R2 = 0.118, p = 0.001). For executive function ability (card-sort task), fitness was also a positive predictor despite the negative influence of learning problems (R2 = 0.063, p = 0.002). Greater EEG power spectral density (PSD) was observed in the beta frequency band for children with greater PA levels (p = .010, low: 154.67 ± 2094.62, high: 456.50 ± 3350.85) and greater SES (p = 0.019, low: 1.12 ± 3.77, high: 217.64 ± 2413.48) compared to their peers with lower PA and SES.

SES (specifically, household income, parent's education, and occupation), PA, and fitness were robust predictors of greater cognitive functioning skills. Notably, fitness was protective against executive function ability on the card-sort task despite evidence of learning problems in children. This trend was unique to executive function and was not found in tasks of working memory and processing speed abilities. Greater household income and parents' education were also positive predictors of cognitive function despite the presence of ADHD, learning problems, and social anxiety. Interestingly, PSD effects were only observed for the beta frequency band and not for the alpha or theta bands, which suggests that the effects of PA and SES are sensitive to alert cognitive states compared to relaxed states and functioning memory, supporting the notion that PA, fitness, and SES are sensitive predictors of executive function. Overall, greater fitness, PA levels, household income, and parental education during childhood provided protective effects on executive functions despite adverse early life experiences.

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