Abstract

    Our project aims to observe the physiological and cognitive differences between athletes and non-athletes before and after moderate physical activity.  We are proposing this area of study as there is not a lot of detailed research that has been conducted in the area.  Our hypothesis is that athletes will perform better on cognitive tasks and have a lower blood pressure than non-athletes.  We propose this as athletes are better trained both physically and mentally.  This is because athletes have to make quick decisions and have to be able to adapt to changing conditions at a moment's notice (basketball, soccer, etc.).  As a result of extensive training, athletes have good cardiovascular systems.  The significance of this study is, if proven true, will demonstrate how athletes are better in cognitive tasks and how exercise may be helpful in decreasing stress and improving productivity in the classroom.  This leads to the research question, "Can exercise improve cognitive function while reducing stress?" 
    This question will be analyzed by using an electrocardiogram, a blood pressure test, and a cognitive test.  The combination of these tests will allow the physiological effects of exercise to be observed on each participant.  The ECG test (shown in Figure 2) will record the electrical activity of the heart and the pulse of the participant.  Blood pressure will be measured using a stethoscope, cuff and release valve (shown in Figure 3).  A set of math facts extracted from the GRE will be used to measure the cognitive effects of exercise.  The data of each test will be recorded before and after the participant undergoes three minutes of moderate exercise (stair stepping; with a height of 6 inches).
Hypothesis 1: We predict that athletes (defined as college students who play a varsity sport) will have a lower resting heart rate than non-athletes (defined as college students that self-report going to the gym less than 3 times a week) along with a lower heart rate during and after moderate physical activity. 
Hypothesis 2: We predict that when compared to their pre-exercise cognitive task the non-athlete participants will perform worse on their post-exercise cognitive task when compared to athletes.