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Systematic review and meta-analysis investigating moderators of long-term effects of exercise on cognition in healthy individuals

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  • Sebastian Ludyga

    (University of Basel)

  • Markus Gerber

    (University of Basel)

  • Uwe Pühse

    (University of Basel)

  • Vera N. Looser

    (University of Basel)

  • Keita Kamijo

    (University of Tsukuba)

Abstract

As cognitive function is linked with academic achievement, career success and mental health, there is a need to understand how the cognitive benefits of long-term exercise can be optimized. Our meta-regression included 80 randomized controlled trials and examined moderators of the effects of exercise on cognition in healthy individuals. The summary effect was small and did not differ between cognitive domains. Higher benefits of exercise on cognitive function were found after coordinative exercise compared with other exercise types. With longer intervention length, the effect size increased with longer session duration. Exercise was less effective in female compared with male individuals, and the dose–response relationship differed between sexes. Our findings suggest a general rather than domain-specific effect of exercise on cognition, which is influenced by sex, exercise type and reciprocal relationships between dose parameters. We derive sex-specific recommendations on how cognitive benefits can be optimized by exercise intensity, its progression and exercise type.

Suggested Citation

  • Sebastian Ludyga & Markus Gerber & Uwe Pühse & Vera N. Looser & Keita Kamijo, 2020. "Systematic review and meta-analysis investigating moderators of long-term effects of exercise on cognition in healthy individuals," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 4(6), pages 603-612, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:4:y:2020:i:6:d:10.1038_s41562-020-0851-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-0851-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Bartseva, Ksenia & Likhanov, Maxim & Tsigeman, Elina & Alenina, Evgenia & Reznichenko, Ivan & Soldatova, Elena & Kovas, Yulia, 2024. "No spatial advantage in adolescent hockey players? Exploring measure specificity and masked effects," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    2. Eichelberger, Dominique A. & Sticca, Fabio & Kübler, Dinah R. & Kakebeeke, Tanja H. & Caflisch, Jon A. & Jenni, Oskar G. & Wehrle, Flavia M., 2023. "Stability of mental abilities and physical growth from 6 months to 65 years: Findings from the Zurich Longitudinal Studies," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    3. Dewen Liu & Shenghao Han & Chunyang Zhou, 2022. "The Influence of Physical Exercise Frequency and Intensity on Individual Entrepreneurial Behavior: Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-22, September.
    4. Diego Pastor & Juan Arturo Ballester-Ferrer & Laura Carbonell-Hernández & Sabina Baladzhaeva & Eduardo Cervello, 2022. "Physical Exercise and Cognitive Function," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-4, August.
    5. Brandon A. Yates & Lawrence E. Armstrong & Elaine C. Lee & Frederick W. Unverzagt & Ekow Dadzie & Virgilio Lopez & Keith Williamson & Jakob L. Vingren & Ariela R. Orkaby, 2023. "Effectiveness of a Single Prolonged Aerobic Exercise Session on Executive Function Task Performance in Physically Active Adults (21–70 Years of Age)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-8, February.

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