This study aimed at evaluating the effects of habitual exercise on executive function, subjective- and physiological stress responses to acute stress. Twelve university students participated in this study. All of the subjects underwent evaluations of their executive functions and subjective- and physiological-stress acceptance before and after 30-min stress induction (Beans move task).The Exercise group demonstrated higher executive function than the Inactive group. Subjective score for acute stress was increased by the Beans move task, and the Exercise group indicates less increment of subjective score for acute stress than the Inactive group. The relative change of subjective score for acute stress by the Beans move task was negatively correlated with that of executive function. This study demonstrates that increment of subjective score for acute stress induces impairment of executive function. Habitual exercise improves executive function and inhibit decline of executive function associated with increment in subjective stress.

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In order to examine the thermal environment of elderly people during daily life in summer, we measured the air temperature and humidity indoors and outdoors where elderly and young people stayed, their individual microclimates inside clothing and daily activities for three days in August. The elderly people lived in rooms with higher air temperatures and humidity in comparison to young people due to the shorter utilization time of air conditioning and higher temperature settings during use. Therefore, in an effort to prevent heat disorders among elderly people indoors, we recommend that thermometers be placed prominently indoors, the elderly instructed to rely on thermometer readings more than on their thermal sensations, and that air conditioning be used sufficiently to maintain the appropriate room temperature.

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In order to examine whether it is possible to activate the peripheral auditory system with high-frequency sounds around the audible area when the stimuli intensity was very low, an attempt was made to measure the auditory brainstem response (ABR). This study was intended to identify whether high-frequency low-stimulus sounds could influence cognitive processing in humans. The results showed that the potential could be evoked by a click and 4 kHz tone bursts. Additionally, a gender difference was confirmed in ABR. Finally, ABR waveforms were not observed when subjects were presented with high-frequency sounds around the audible range, suggesting that it would not affect the subsequent cognitive processes.

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The purpose of the present study was to determine whether cardiac activity response to passive walking-like leg movement (PWM) is influenced by movement frequency. Heart rate and double product were used as indices of cardiac activity. Each subject (n=8) conducted three types of 10-min PWM: PWMs at 0.33 Hz, 0.66 Hz and 1 Hz. There was no statistically significant differences in responses of heart rate and double product in the three types of PWM, suggesting that there is no marked difference in cardiac activity response to PWM at least with movement frequencies between 0.33 Hz and 1 Hz.

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