The impact of after-school soccer exercises on inhibitory control function in children aged 8–11: an fNIRS study

BACKGROUND: Inhibitory control, a crucial higher cognitive function, is closely associated with children's daily routines and academic performance. After-school physical activities serve as a fundamental avenue for children to participate in sports and also play a pivotal role in enhancing their cognitive development, thereby significantly impacting their overall growth. This study aims to investigate the impact of 12 weeks of after-school soccer exercise on inhibitory control in children aged 8-11 years. METHOD: Using a 2 × 2 mixed experimental design, 70 children aged 8-11 were randomly assigned to either an experimental or control group. The experimental group received 12 weeks of extracurricular soccer training, attending 60-minute sessions three times a week, while the control group maintained their regular lifestyle and study routine. To assess inhibitory control performance and prefrontal cortex activation levels, all participants completed the Flanker task, with prefrontal cortex oxygenation levels measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during the task. RESULTS: Following the intervention, the experimental group demonstrated a significant increase in accuracy on the incongruent task compared to pre-intervention levels. Post-intervention, there was a notable improvement in accuracy on the Flanker task compared to pre-intervention levels, with no significant changes observed in the control group. Additionally, there was a significant increase in blood oxygen response in the right posterior frontal area (R-PFA) and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (R-DLPFC) in the experimental group compared to pre-intervention levels, while no significant changes were observed in the control group. Pearson correlations indicated a significant association between activation in the R-PFA and R-DLPFC and improvements in accuracy resulting from post-intervention soccer training. CONCLUSION: Our research hypothesis is corroborated by the study findings, indicating that involvement in extracurricular physical exercise within a school environment may impact the inhibitory control function of children. It is suggested that the right prefrontal cortex may have a pivotal role in enhancing inhibitory control function through physical activity.