Ryan L. Olson, Ph.D.

Behavioral neuroscience researcher examining the effects of healthy behaviors on mental health, cognition, and brain function

Denton, Texas, United States of America

Research Expertise

Behavioral Neuroscience
Sport & Exercise Psychophysiology
Cognition
Concussion
Mental Health
Brain Function
Autonomic Function
Sport, Exercise, and Health Psychology

About

Dr. Olson is a highly skilled and experienced behavioral neuroscience researcher with expertise in kinesiology, nutrition, meditation, mental health, cognition, and brain function. He received his Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from Rutgers University in 2016 where he primarily studied the influence of exercise and meditation on depression, cognition, and brain health. Prior to that, he completed his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology & Health Promotion from the University of Wyoming in 2010 where he focused on the effects of exercise on stress reactivity and autonomic function. Throughout his career, he has conducted extensive research utilizing psychophysiological techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG) to assess event-related potentials (ERP) and electrocardiography to measure heart rate variability (HRV) and pre-ejection period (PEP). Additionally, Dr. Olson is trained in mental health screenings, surveys and questionnaires, IQ testing, cognitive testing, exercise testing and prescription, meditation, metabolic/maximal fitness testing, signal processing, accelerometry, ecological momentary assessment, and data analysis. Common study designs he uses include reviews, meta-analysis, cross sectional, acute/chronic experimental, feasibility, and randomized-controlled trials. Dr. Olson is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion, and Recreation with a dual-appointment within the Department of Psychology at the University of North Texas. He established the UNT Sport and Exercise Psychophysiology Lab in 2016 where he currently serves as Lab Director.

Publications

MAP training: combining meditation and aerobic exercise reduces depression and rumination while enhancing synchronized brain activity

Translational Psychiatry / Feb 02, 2016

Alderman, B. L., Olson, R. L., Brush, C. J., & Shors, T. J. (2016). MAP training: combining meditation and aerobic exercise reduces depression and rumination while enhancing synchronized brain activity. Translational Psychiatry, 6(2), e726–e726. https://doi.org/10.1038/tp.2015.225

Cognitive Function During Low-Intensity Walking: A Test of the Treadmill Workstation

Journal of Physical Activity and Health / May 01, 2014

Alderman, B. L., Olson, R. L., & Mattina, D. M. (2014). Cognitive Function During Low-Intensity Walking: A Test of the Treadmill Workstation. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 11(4), 752–758. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2012-0097

A randomized trial of aerobic exercise on cognitive control in major depression

Clinical Neurophysiology / Jun 01, 2017

Olson, R. L., Brush, C. J., Ehmann, P. J., & Alderman, B. L. (2017). A randomized trial of aerobic exercise on cognitive control in major depression. Clinical Neurophysiology, 128(6), 903–913. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2017.01.023

Physical Education’s Contribution to Daily Physical Activity Among Middle School Youth

Pediatric Exercise Science / Nov 01, 2012

Alderman, B. L., Benham-Deal, T., Beighle, A., Erwin, H. E., & Olson, R. L. (2012). Physical Education’s Contribution to Daily Physical Activity Among Middle School Youth. Pediatric Exercise Science, 24(4), 634–648. https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.24.4.634

Mental and Physical (MAP) Training: A neurogenesis-inspired intervention that enhances health in humans

Neurobiology of Learning and Memory / Nov 01, 2014

Shors, T. J., Olson, R. L., Bates, M. E., Selby, E. A., & Alderman, B. L. (2014). Mental and Physical (MAP) Training: A neurogenesis-inspired intervention that enhances health in humans. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 115, 3–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nlm.2014.08.012

The relation of aerobic fitness to cognitive control and heart rate variability: A neurovisceral integration study

Biological Psychology / May 01, 2014

Alderman, B. L., & Olson, R. L. (2014). The relation of aerobic fitness to cognitive control and heart rate variability: A neurovisceral integration study. Biological Psychology, 99, 26–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2014.02.007

Neurophysiological and behavioral correlates of cognitive control during low and moderate intensity exercise

NeuroImage / May 01, 2016

Olson, R. L., Chang, Y.-K., Brush, C. J., Kwok, A. N., Gordon, V. X., & Alderman, B. L. (2016). Neurophysiological and behavioral correlates of cognitive control during low and moderate intensity exercise. NeuroImage, 131, 171–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.10.011

Dose–Response and Time Course Effects of Acute Resistance Exercise on Executive Function

Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology / Aug 01, 2016

Brush, C. J., Olson, R. L., Ehmann, P. J., Osovsky, S., & Alderman, B. L. (2016). Dose–Response and Time Course Effects of Acute Resistance Exercise on Executive Function. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 38(4), 396–408. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2016-0027

Do sex differences in rumination explain sex differences in depression?

Journal of Neuroscience Research / Nov 07, 2016

Shors, T. J., Millon, E. M., Chang, H. Y. M., Olson, R. L., & Alderman, B. L. (2016). Do sex differences in rumination explain sex differences in depression? Journal of Neuroscience Research, 95(1–2), 711–718. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/jnr.23976

Rumination in major depressive disorder is associated with impaired neural activation during conflict monitoring

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience / May 12, 2015

Alderman, B. L., Olson, R. L., Bates, M. E., Selby, E. A., Buckman, J. F., Brush, C. J., Panza, E. A., Kranzler, A., Eddie, D., & Shors, T. J. (2015). Rumination in major depressive disorder is associated with impaired neural activation during conflict monitoring. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2015.00269

Do sport-related concussions result in long-term cognitive impairment? A review of event-related potential research

International Journal of Psychophysiology / Oct 01, 2018

Brush, C. J., Ehmann, P. J., Olson, R. L., Bixby, W. R., & Alderman, B. L. (2018). Do sport-related concussions result in long-term cognitive impairment? A review of event-related potential research. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 132, 124–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2017.10.006

Using event-related potentials to study the effects of chronic exercise on cognitive function

International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology / Aug 26, 2016

Alderman, B. L., Olson, R. L., & Brush, C. J. (2016). Using event-related potentials to study the effects of chronic exercise on cognitive function. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 17(2), 106–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197x.2016.1223419

Associations of depression severity with heart rate and heart rate variability in young adults across normative and clinical populations

International Journal of Psychophysiology / Aug 01, 2019

Lesnewich, L. M., Conway, F. N., Buckman, J. F., Brush, C. J., Ehmann, P. J., Eddie, D., Olson, R. L., Alderman, B. L., & Bates, M. E. (2019). Associations of depression severity with heart rate and heart rate variability in young adults across normative and clinical populations. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 142, 57–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.06.005

Lower resting cardiac autonomic balance in young adults with current major depression

Psychophysiology / Apr 25, 2019

Brush, C. J., Olson, R. L., Ehmann, P. J., Bocchine, A. J., Bates, M. E., Buckman, J. F., Leyro, T. M., & Alderman, B. L. (2019). Lower resting cardiac autonomic balance in young adults with current major depression. Psychophysiology, 56(8). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.13385

Active Workstations Do Not Impair Executive Function in Young and Middle-Age Adults

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise / May 01, 2017

EHMANN, P. J., BRUSH, C. J., OLSON, R. L., BHATT, S. N., BANU, A. H., & ALDERMAN, B. L. (2017). Active Workstations Do Not Impair Executive Function in Young and Middle-Age Adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 49(5), 965–974. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0000000000001189

A history of sport-related concussion is associated with sustained deficits in conflict and error monitoring

International Journal of Psychophysiology / Oct 01, 2018

Olson, R. L., Brush, C. J., Ehmann, P. J., Buckman, J. F., & Alderman, B. L. (2018). A history of sport-related concussion is associated with sustained deficits in conflict and error monitoring. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 132, 145–154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.01.006

Does aerobic fitness moderate age-related cognitive slowing? Evidence from the P3 and lateralized readiness potentials

International Journal of Psychophysiology / Sep 01, 2020

Brush, C. J., Bocchine, A. J., Olson, R. L., Ude, A. A., Dhillon, S. K., & Alderman, B. L. (2020). Does aerobic fitness moderate age-related cognitive slowing? Evidence from the P3 and lateralized readiness potentials. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 155, 63–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2020.05.007

Psychophysiological and ergogenic effects of music in swimming

Comparative Exercise Physiology / Apr 01, 2015

Olson, R. L., Brush, C. J., O’Sullivan, D. J., & Alderman, B. L. (2015). Psychophysiological and ergogenic effects of music in swimming. Comparative Exercise Physiology, 11(2), 79–88. https://doi.org/10.3920/cep150003

Acute aerobic exercise increases respiratory sinus arrythmia reactivity and recovery to a sad film among individuals at risk for depression

International Journal of Psychophysiology / Oct 01, 2020

Brush, C. J., Olson, R. L., Bocchine, A. J., Selby, E. A., & Alderman, B. L. (2020). Acute aerobic exercise increases respiratory sinus arrythmia reactivity and recovery to a sad film among individuals at risk for depression. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 156, 69–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2020.07.006

Effects of Low-Intensity Aerobic Exercise on Neurophysiological and Behavioral Correlates of Cognitive Function

Behavioral Sciences / May 10, 2023

Olson, R. L., Cleveland, D. J., & Materia, M. (2023). Effects of Low-Intensity Aerobic Exercise on Neurophysiological and Behavioral Correlates of Cognitive Function. Behavioral Sciences, 13(5), 401. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13050401

Prescribing Exercise for Mental Health

The Exercise Effect on Mental Health / Apr 17, 2018

Alderman, B. L., & Olson, R. L. (2018). Prescribing Exercise for Mental Health. In The Exercise Effect on Mental Health (pp. 411–441). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315113906-16

Neuropsychological Assessment of Sports-Related Concussion: Pediatric Challenges

Concussions in Athletics / Jan 01, 2014

Lovell, M. R. (2014). Neuropsychological Assessment of Sports-Related Concussion: Pediatric Challenges. In Concussions in Athletics (pp. 303–310). Springer New York. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0295-8_17

Education

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Ph.D., Nutritional Sciences / 2016

New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America

University of Wyoming

B.S., Kinesiology & Health Promotion / 2010

Laramie, Wyoming, United States of America

Experience

University of North Texas

Assistant Professor / 2016Present

Rutgers University

Research Assistant / 20102016

University of Wyoming

Research Assistant / 20052010

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