Let’s go beyond “the effect of”: Reappraising the impact of ordinary activities on cognition

Abstract

The demands of today’s society for interventions that optimize cognitive abilities and prevent their decline have motivated the translation of scientific findings into applied programs. Ordinary activities such as physical exercise and playing a musical instrument have witnessed the growth of evidence emphasizing their benefits on cognition and the brain. Here we propose several issues that need consideration before speculating on the implications of a positive result of an individual study and implementing intervention programs at the population level: (a) the magnitude and costs of the effect, (b) the robustness of the effect, (c) the identification of moderator variables, and (d) the underlying mechanisms. Only after these issues have been considered should positive results determine the messages in media reports and the applicability of the effect. Although it is respectively the responsibility of journalists and companies to translate scientific knowledge into accurate media documents and effective interventions, researchers also have an important role in communicating science in a more transparent and nuanced way. We urge the authors to contextualize the benefits observed with an activity along with its costs, distinguish between data-driven conclusions and speculations, and incorporate more pieces of information than just p values.

An umbrella review of randomized control trials on the effects of physical exercise on cognition

“…The exercise–cognition topic is not immune to this. Transparent practices throughout the research process (e.g., reporting bias-corrected effects) and accurate dissemination of scientific findings through the media would definitely improve the situation 41 . Nevertheless, this is a necessary but not sufficient step.…”

Physical activity on executive function in sedentary individuals: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

“…Greater benefits were observed in younger participants. This suggests that physical activity may have a stronger and more lasting effect on general cognitive skills during a sensitive period [59]. In addition, previous meta-analyses have found that physical activity has a positive impact on executive function and academic performance in prepubescent children [60].…”