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

Ludyga, Sebastian; Gerber, Markus; Pühse, Uwe; Looser, Vera Nina; Kamijo, Keita

doi:10.1038/s41562-020-0851-8

Cited by 290 publications

(318 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…The current study demonstrates that response times, during information processing, inhibitory control and working memory tasks, are quicker in adolescents with a higher physical fitness, when compared to their low-fit counterparts. This is in support of recent meta-analyses in children and adolescents demonstrating that chronic exercise interventions, which aim to improve physical fitness, lead to improvements in cognitive function [49,50]. The findings of the present study extends previous crosssectional findings in children [26][27][28][29] and adults [25,32] to three distinct domains of cognitive function (information processing, inhibitory control and working memory) in adolescents.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Effect of football activity and physical fitness on information processing, inhibitory control and working memory in adolescents

Williams¹,

Cooper²,

Dring³

et al. 2020

BMC Public Health

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Background Whilst an acute bout of exercise has been shown to enhance subsequent cognition, including in adolescents, the effects of team games (of which Football is the most popular) has received little attention. Therefore, this study examined: the effect of an acute bout of outdoor Football activity on information processing, inhibitory control, working memory and circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in adolescents; the effect of physical fitness on cognition and; the moderating effect of physical fitness on the acute exercise responses. Methods Following familiarisation, 36 adolescents (16 girls) took part in two trials (60-min Football and 60-min seated rest) separated by 7-d in a counterbalanced, crossover design. Information processing and inhibitory control (Stroop Test), and working memory (Sternberg Paradigm) were assessed 30-min before exercise/rest and immediately, 45- and 90-min post-exercise/rest. Capillary blood samples were obtained before exercise/rest and up to 120-min post-exercise/rest. The median split of distance covered on the MSFT was used to divide the group into high- and low-fit groups. Results Performance on the cognitive function tasks was similar between Football and seated rest (trial*time interactions; all p > .05). However, the high-fit group had overall quicker response times on both levels of the Stroop Task and all three levels of the Sternberg Paradigm (main effect of fitness; all p < .001). Furthermore, the exercise-cognition relationship was moderated by physical fitness, with improvements in working memory response times seen post-exercise, only in the high-fit group (trial*time*fitness interaction, p < .05). Circulating BDNF was unaffected by the Football activity and physical fitness (p > .05). Conclusion The present study shows that higher levels of physical fitness are beneficial for cognitive function and provides novel evidence that an ecologically valid, and popular, form of exercise is beneficial for working memory following exercise, in high-fit participants only.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Effect of football activity and physical fitness on information processing, inhibitory control and working memory in adolescents

Williams¹,

Cooper²,

Dring³

et al. 2020

BMC Public Health

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“…On the other hand, future studies should investigate this in more detail by looking at the potential benefits of exercise training on cognitive abilities and autonomic regulation, and how this intervention might affect the link between QTcD and cognition. Indeed, it is already well documented that regular physical activity and exercise interventions show benefits on cognitive functioning, cardiac health, and autonomic regulation independently (Rosenwinkel et al, 2001;Dupuy et al, 2018;Ludyga et al, 2020). The benefit of exercise on cognition could be multidetermined, having the potential to improve autonomic regulation, cardiac functioning, and promote brain neuroplasticity, all of which can independently or synergistically result in improved cognitive abilities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mind the Rhythm: ECG QT Dispersion and Cognition in Healthy Older Adults

et al. 2020

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Background: Autonomic function has been linked to cognitive abilities in aging. Even in non-clinical states, a certain variability in heart rhythm regulation can be measured with QT dispersion (QTcD), an ECG marker of ventricular repolarization which has been linked to autonomic function and cardiovascular health. QTcD has been shown to be higher in individuals with mild cognitive impairment, and the highest in individuals with Alzheimer's disease. The goal of this study was to see if QTcD is associated with cognitive performance in healthy individuals. Methods: Sixty-three healthy inactive older adults (> 60 years) completed an extensive cognitive assessment (including inhibition, divided attention, updating, working memory, and processing speed), a physical fitness assessment, and underwent a resting ECG. Results: After controlling for age, sex, and education, QTcD significantly predicted global cognition (MoCA) scores (R 2 = 0.17, F (4.58) = 3.00, p < 0.03, β = −0.36). Exploratory analysis on the MoCA subcomponents revealed a significant association between the visual/executive subcomponent and QTcD (R 2 = 0.12, F (1.61) = 7.99, p < 0.01, β = −0.34). In individuals with high QTcD, QTcD values were linked to executive functions (R 2 = 0.37), processing speed (R 2 = 0.34), and dualtask performances (R 2 = 0.47). No significant associations were found within the low QTcD group. Conclusion: This study shows an association between ventricular repolarization (QTcD) and cognitive performance, in particular speed and executive functions, in healthy older adults. The results provide further support for linking autonomic heart regulation and age-related cognitive changes, and suggest that deviations on ECG, even within-normal range, could help detect early cognitive deficits.

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“…Physical activity would also play a significant role (Barnes and Yaffe, 2011;Baumgart et al, 2015;Dubois et al, 2016;Scheltens et al, 2016) -although weak (Ludyga et al, 2020) -and is considered as one of the most important modifiable factors (Sabia et al, 2017). For a long time, and in particular studies on mice models (Intlekofer and Cotman, 2013), physical exercise has been thought of as neuroprotective for neurodegenerative pathologies (Paillard et al, 2015).…”

Section: Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental and Cognitive Enrichment in Childhood as Protective Factors in the Adult and Aging Brain

Schoentgen¹,

Gagliardi

Defontaines³

2020

Front. Psychol.

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Some recent studies have highlighted a link between a favorable childhood environment and the strengthening of neuronal resilience against the changes that occur in natural aging neurodegenerative disease. Many works have assessed the factors-both internal and external-that can contribute to delay the phenotype of an ongoing neurodegenerative brain pathology. At the crossroads of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors, these relationships are unified by the concept of cognitive reserve (CR). This review focuses on the protective effects of maintaining this CR through the cognitive aging process, and emphasizes the most essential time in life for the development and strengthening of this CR. The in-depth study of this research shows that early stimulation with regard to social and sensory interactions, contributes to the proper development of cognitive, affective and psychosocial capacities. Childhood thus appears to be the most active phase in the development of CR, and as such we hypothesize that this constitutes the first essential period of primary prevention of pathological aging and loss of cognitive capacities. If this hypothesis is correct, early stimulation of the environment would therefore be considered as a true primary prevention and a public health issue. The earlier identification of neurodevelopmental disorders, which can affect personal and professional development across the lifespan, could therefore have longer-term impacts and provide better protection against aging.

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

Cited by 290 publications

References 83 publications

Effect of football activity and physical fitness on information processing, inhibitory control and working memory in adolescents

Effect of football activity and physical fitness on information processing, inhibitory control and working memory in adolescents

Mind the Rhythm: ECG QT Dispersion and Cognition in Healthy Older Adults

Environmental and Cognitive Enrichment in Childhood as Protective Factors in the Adult and Aging Brain

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