Effects of exercise interventions on cognitive functions in healthy populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Author: Minggang Zhang1, Jiafeng Jia2, Yang Yang3, Lepu Zhang4, Xiaochun Wang5
Affiliation:
1 School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China. Electronic address: pennyzmg1997@126.com.
2 School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China. Electronic address: 1021475714@qq.com.
3 School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China. Electronic address: y_yang1004@163.com.
4 School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China. Electronic address: lpzhang2000@163.com.
5 School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China. Electronic address: wangxiaochun@sus.edu.cn.
Conference/Journal: Ageing Res Rev
Date published: 2023 Nov 2
Other:
Pages: 102116 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102116. , Word Count: 209
Chronic exercise intervention is a non-pharmacological therapy suggested to improve cognitive function in various populations. However, few meta-analyses have assessed the cognitive benefits associated with all FITT-VP variables (exercise frequency, intensity, bout duration time, type, volume or total intervention length, and progression) in healthy populations by age. Thus, this meta-analysis assessed the effects of each FITT-VP variable on cognitive function in healthy children, adults, and older adults. This study followed PRISMA guidelines. After searching PubMed and the Web of Science, we included 54 randomized controlled trials to examined the effects of FITT-VP variables on five cognitive domains: global cognition, executive function, memory, attention, and information processing. Moderation analyses assessed the effects by age and by each exercise variables. Exercise benefitted overall cognition and all subcognitive domains. Aerobic and resistance exercise showed the greatest benefits on global cognition and executive function respectively, whereas mind-body exercise benefitted memory. Among all populations, older adults showed the greatest benefits of exercise on global cognition, executive function, and memory compared with controls. Additional studies are needed to assess the effects of exercise on attention and information processing. This meta-analysis offers new insights on the relationships between cognition and FITT-VP exercise variables in healthy populations.
Keywords: Age; Cognitive function; Exercise interventions; Meta-analysis.
PMID: 37924980 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102116
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