The bidirectional modulation of acute aerobic exercise on cognitive performance and brain electrical activity in adolescents with smartphone addiction: an experimental study using EEG power spectrum analysis

Objective Smartphone addiction has become a significant mental health issue among adolescents, affecting their cognitive functions and social adaptability. Although acute aerobic exercise has been shown to improve cognitive performance, its effects on adolescents with smartphone addiction remain unclear. This study aims to explore the impact of acute aerobic exercise on cognitive performance and brain electrical activity in adolescents with smartphone addiction and to elucidate its underlying neural mechanisms. Methods A randomized controlled experimental design was adopted, with 40 male adolescents with smartphone addiction recruited and randomly assigned to either the experimental group (acute aerobic exercise) or the control group (neutral reading condition). Cognitive performance was assessed using the Stroop task and the 2-back task, while EEG was used to record brain electrical activity, focusing on changes in the power of α, β, and θ waves. Results The experimental group showed significant improvements in accuracy ( p < 0.001, d = −2.67) and reaction time ( p < 0.001, d = 3.17) in the Stroop task, and in accuracy ( p < 0.001, d = −3.26) and reaction time ( p < 0.001, d = 3.29) in the 2-back task. EEG results revealed that acute aerobic exercise significantly increased the power of α and β waves in the prefrontal, central, and parietal regions ( p < 0.001), while θ wave power in the prefrontal and central regions significantly decreased ( p < 0.05). Conclusion Acute aerobic exercise significantly enhanced the cognitive performance of adolescents with smartphone addiction, particularly in attention and working memory tasks. EEG analysis indicated that exercise optimized the cognitive control network by enhancing α and β wave power and suppressing θ wave power. These findings provide empirical support for exercise interventions to improve cognitive deficits in adolescents with smartphone addiction.