Previous studies confirm the positive effect of aerobic exercise on executive functions, while findings on the effects of strength training are less consistent. The aim of this master's thesis was to examine the acute effect of a training session designed to increase muscle mass on executive functions, measured by the Stroop test. The study included 16 participants (4 males and 12 females), but due to the criterion of correct performance on the Stroop test, only 10 participants were included in the subsequent data analysis—8 females and 2 males—who completed both the control and the exercise protocol. The training protocol included three exercises (bench press, vertical pull-down, leg press) at 80 % 1RM, performed in 4 sets to failure, with 2 min rest periods. We assessed executive functions using the Stroop test and analyzed the data using a two-way ANOVA for repeated measures. The T-score for interference on the Stroop test improved significantly after the training session (~12.6 %, P=0,006) indicating an acute improvement in inhibitory control. The improvement in inhibitory control following the training session is likely due to increased central nervous system arousal and higher levels of catecholamines and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which in turn may modulate the functioning of prefrontal cortical regions.
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