Introduction
Physical activity (PA) has positive effects on cardiovascular and general health, and it can also protect the human brain and cognition. Both cross-sectional and prospective studies have shown that individuals with better fitness or higher levels of PA tend to have higher levels of neurocognitive function compared to inactive or sedentary peopleAccording to Miyake et al.Research on influence of PA on brain function has been experimentally developed in two different ways based on intervention length. The first are studies that observe the instant effect of PA in cognition—that is, the acute effect. The second set of studies investigate the chronic effect of regularly engaging in PA over time, but this group is relatively small compared to studies on acute effects. More studies on the chronic cognitive effects of PA are thus necessary to check if both cross-sectional and acute results are similar in the long term. To the best of our knowledge, the results of studies in these two paradigms are not entirely congruent. According to Álvarez-Bueno et al.The PA training modality generally applied in longitudinal studies reporting positive effects has been either aerobic (AER) or resistance exercise (R). Both types of training have, however, been shown to improve performance in several cognitive functions, including attention, information processing, and memoryLikewise, some evidence has shown that performing a PA in the presence of external stimuli, typically via game-like conditions that require information processing and working memory to perform successfully, can also contribute to improved EFs. The recent study by Muller et al.Researchers thus consider that dynamic team sports, such as basketball (BAS), might be an excellent context for improving cognitionTo the best of our knowledge, comparing the longitudinal effects achieved in PA with cognitive demands versus without them (i.e., BAS versus AER+R) has not yet been studied in young adults. This study therefore compared the effects of following a four-month training program on the EFs—specifically IC, WM, and CF. Finally, to palliate any potential methodological problems that might lead to results incongruent with the literature, the entire study sample was composed of university students with similar levels of fitness, body composition, PA habits, dynamic team sport experience, and age; a control group was also included. We hypothesized that the BAS group, considering that the participants would engage in training with aerobic effort and attention to external stimuli, would show better EFs at the end of the intervention compared to individuals in the AER+R and CON groups.