The Impact of Chronic Exercise on Cognitive Function: An Overview of Reviews
-
Saade Abdalkareem Jasim
,
Mandeep Singh
,
Aiman Mohammed Baqir Al-Dhalimy
,
Ahmed Hussein Zwamel
,
Israa Abed Jawad
,
Nagat Salah Shalaby
Abstract
Objective: Understanding the associations between cognitive function and chronic exercise has gained significant attention in the last decade. This overview aims to consolidate current knowledge and shed light on potential benefits of long-term exercise on cognitive abilities.
Method: Relevant databases, including Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science, were searched through predefined keywords related to chronic exercise and cognitive function. We included all relevant systematic-reviews and meta-analysis in our data-synthesizing.
Results: We identified 74 references across PubMed (33), Scopus (35), and Web of Sciences (6). After deduplication, 52 unique references remained. Screening by title and abstract yielded 28 relevant studies. Full-text review based on inclusion criteria resulted in nine eligible articles. Most were meta-analyses, examining 10 to 71 randomized controlled trials on executive functions across various age groups and health statuses. Both acute and chronic exercises demonstrated small to moderate positive effects on cognitive functions, with chronic exercise outcomes influenced by type, duration, frequency, session length, age, and cognitive status.
Conclusion: Extensive research underscores a robust and compelling link between involving in regular, long-term physical exercise and enhancement of cognitive functioning. This connection emphasizes the critical role that consistent physical activity plays in safeguarding mental well-being and maintaining sharp cognitive abilities throughout various life stages. Positive effect of sustained physical exercise on cognitive functioning serves as a compelling reason to integrate exercise as a fundamental component of a holistic approach to mental wellness and cognitive longevity.
1. Caspersen CJ, Powell KE, Christenson GM. Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness: definitions and distinctions for health-related research. Public Health Rep. 1985;100(2):126-31.
2. Damián Núñez EF, Soria Villanueva LM, Tejada Mendoza MA, Alcoser SDI, Garay JPP, Hernández-Vásquez R. Perfectionism as a Paradoxical Factor in Sport and Exercise Performance: An Umbrella Review. Iran J Psychiatry. 2024;19(2):247-54.
3. Lippi G, Mattiuzzi C, Sanchis-Gomar F. Updated overview on interplay between physical exercise, neurotrophins, and cognitive function in humans. J Sport Health Sci. 2020;9(1):74-81.
4. Kao SC, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Shigeta TT, Walk AM, Chang YK, Pontifex MB, et al. A systematic review of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness on P3b. Psychophysiology. 2020;57(7):e13425.
5. Petriz BA, Gomes CP, Almeida JA, de Oliveira GP, Jr., Ribeiro FM, Pereira RW, et al. The Effects of Acute and Chronic Exercise on Skeletal Muscle Proteome. J Cell Physiol. 2017;232(2):257-69.
6. Davoud A, Abazari M. The Relationship between Quality of Life and Physical Activity, Worry, Depression, and Insomnia in Pregnant Women. Iran J Psychiatry. 2020;15(2):159-68.
7. Petruzzello SJ, Landers DM, Hatfield BD, Kubitz KA, Salazar W. A meta-analysis on the anxiety-reducing effects of acute and chronic exercise. Outcomes and mechanisms. Sports Med. 1991;11(3):143-82.
8. Dauwan M, Begemann MJH, Slot MIE, Lee EHM, Scheltens P, Sommer IEC. Physical exercise improves quality of life, depressive symptoms, and cognition across chronic brain disorders: a transdiagnostic systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Neurol. 2021;268(4):1222-46.
9. Gerber M, Imboden C, Beck J, Brand S, Colledge F, Eckert A, et al. Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Cortisol Stress Reactivity in Response to the Trier Social Stress Test in Inpatients with Major Depressive Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Clin Med. 2020;9(5):1419.
10. Beserra AHN, Kameda P, Deslandes AC, Schuch FB, Laks J, Moraes HS. Can physical exercise modulate cortisol level in subjects with depression? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Trends Psychiatry Psychother. 2018;40(4):360-8.
11. Machado S, Telles G, Magalhaes F, Teixeira D, Amatriain-Fernández S, Budde H, et al. Can regular physical exercise be a treatment for panic disorder? A systematic review. Expert Rev Neurother. 2022;22(1):53-64.
12. Vysniauske R, Verburgh L, Oosterlaan J, Molendijk ML. The Effects of Physical Exercise on Functional Outcomes in the Treatment of ADHD: A Meta-Analysis. J Atten Disord. 2020;24(5):644-54.
13. De Nys L, Anderson K, Ofosu EF, Ryde GC, Connelly J, Whittaker AC. The effects of physical activity on cortisol and sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2022;143:105843.
14. Smith PJ, Merwin RM. The Role of Exercise in Management of Mental Health Disorders: An Integrative Review. Annu Rev Med. 2021;72:45-62.
15. Giménez-Meseguer J, Tortosa-Martínez J, Cortell-Tormo JM. The Benefits of Physical Exercise on Mental Disorders and Quality of Life in Substance Use Disorders Patients. Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(10):3680.
16. Schuch FB, Vancampfort D. Physical activity, exercise, and mental disorders: it is time to move on. Trends Psychiatry Psychother. 2021;43(3):177-84.
17. Andersen MH, Ottesen L, Thing LF. The social and psychological health outcomes of team sport participation in adults: An integrative review of research. Scand J Public Health. 2019;47(8):832-50.
18. Khaleghi A, Mohammadi MR, Shahi K, Nasrabadi AM. Computational Neuroscience Approach to Psychiatry: A Review on Theory-driven Approaches. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci. 2022;20(1):26-36.
19. Szuhany KL, Bugatti M, Otto MW. A meta-analytic review of the effects of exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor. J Psychiatr Res. 2015;60:56-64.
20. Valenzuela PL, Castillo-García A, Morales JS, de la Villa P, Hampel H, Emanuele E, et al. Exercise benefits on Alzheimer's disease: State-of-the-science. Ageing Res Rev. 2020;62:101108.
21. Wang R, Holsinger RMD. Exercise-induced brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression: Therapeutic implications for Alzheimer's dementia. Ageing Res Rev. 2018;48:109-21.
22. Ludyga S, Gerber M, Pühse U, Looser VN, Kamijo K. Systematic review and meta-analysis investigating moderators of long-term effects of exercise on cognition in healthy individuals. Nat Hum Behav. 2020;4(6):603-12.
23. Huang T, Larsen KT, Ried-Larsen M, Møller NC, Andersen LB. The effects of physical activity and exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor in healthy humans: A review. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2014;24(1):1-10.
24. Fiuza-Luces C, Santos-Lozano A, Joyner M, Carrera-Bastos P, Picazo O, Zugaza JL, et al. Exercise benefits in cardiovascular disease: beyond attenuation of traditional risk factors. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2018;15(12):731-43.
25. Cotman CW, Berchtold NC, Christie LA. Exercise builds brain health: key roles of growth factor cascades and inflammation. Trends Neurosci. 2007;30(9):464-72.
26. Whiting P, Savović J, Higgins JP, Caldwell DM, Reeves BC, Shea B, et al. ROBIS: A new tool to assess risk of bias in systematic reviews was developed. J Clin Epidemiol. 2016;69:225-34.
27. Tayyebi G, Alwan NH, Hamed AF, Shallal AA, Abdulrazzaq T, Khayayi R. Application of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in Children and Adolescents Psychotherapy: An Umbrella Review. Iran J Psychiatry. 2024;19(3):337-43.
28. Zhang M, Jia J, Yang Y, Zhang L, Wang X. Effects of exercise interventions on cognitive functions in healthy populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Ageing Res Rev. 2023;92:102116.
29. Liu S, Yu Q, Li Z, Cunha PM, Zhang Y, Kong Z, et al. Effects of Acute and Chronic Exercises on Executive Function in Children and Adolescents: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Psychol. 2020;11:554915.
30. Haverkamp BF, Wiersma R, Vertessen K, van Ewijk H, Oosterlaan J, Hartman E. Effects of physical activity interventions on cognitive outcomes and academic performance in adolescents and young adults: A meta-analysis. J Sports Sci. 2020;38(23):2637-60.
31. Chen FT, Etnier JL, Chan KH, Chiu PK, Hung TM, Chang YK. Effects of Exercise Training Interventions on Executive Function in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2020;50(8):1451-67.
32. Loprinzi PD, Frith E, Edwards MK, Sng E, Ashpole N. The Effects of Exercise on Memory Function Among Young to Middle-Aged Adults: Systematic Review and Recommendations for Future Research. Am J Health Promot. 2018;32(3):691-704.
33. Huang H, Jin Z, He C, Guo S, Zhang Y, Quan M. Chronic Exercise for Core Symptoms and Executive Functions in ADHD: A Meta-analysis. Pediatrics. 2023;151(1):e2022057745.
34. Liang X, Li R, Wong SHS, Sum RKW, Wang P, Yang B, et al. The Effects of Exercise Interventions on Executive Functions in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2022;52(1):75-88.
35. Lin C, Li D, Wang X, Yang S. Chronic exercise interventions for executive function in overweight children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Sports Act Living. 2024;6:1336648.
36. Sun X, Li Y, Cai L, Wang Y. Effects of physical activity interventions on cognitive performance of overweight or obese children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pediatr Res. 2021;89(1):46-53.
37. Stillman CM, Cohen J, Lehman ME, Erickson KI. Mediators of Physical Activity on Neurocognitive Function: A Review at Multiple Levels of Analysis. Front Hum Neurosci. 2016;10:626.
38. Fernandes J, Arida RM, Gomez-Pinilla F. Physical exercise as an epigenetic modulator of brain plasticity and cognition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2017;80:443-56.
39. Loprinzi PD, Frith E. A brief primer on the mediational role of BDNF in the exercise-memory link. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging. 2019;39(1):9-14.
40. Arvidson E, Dahlman AS, Börjesson M, Gullstrand L, Jonsdottir IH. The effects of exercise training on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis reactivity and autonomic response to acute stress-a randomized controlled study. Trials. 2020;21(1):888.
41. Alizadeh Pahlavani H. Possible role of exercise therapy on depression: Effector neurotransmitters as key players. Behav Brain Res. 2024;459:114791.
42. Hvid LG, Harwood DL, Eskildsen SF, Dalgas U. A Critical Systematic Review of Current Evidence on the Effects of Physical Exercise on Whole/Regional Grey Matter Brain Volume in Populations at Risk of Neurodegeneration. Sports Med. 2021;51(8):1651-71.
43. Gramkow MH, Hasselbalch SG, Waldemar G, Frederiksen KS. Resting State EEG in Exercise Intervention Studies: A Systematic Review of Effects and Methods. Front Hum Neurosci. 2020;14:155.
44. Won J, Callow DD, Pena GS, Gogniat MA, Kommula Y, Arnold-Nedimala NA, et al. Evidence for exercise-related plasticity in functional and structural neural network connectivity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2021;131:923-40.
45. Gubert C, Kong G, Renoir T, Hannan AJ. Exercise, diet and stress as modulators of gut microbiota: Implications for neurodegenerative diseases. Neurobiol Dis. 2020;134:104621.
46. Hashimoto T, Tsukamoto H, Ando S, Ogoh S. Effect of Exercise on Brain Health: The Potential Role of Lactate as a Myokine. Metabolites. 2021;11(12):813.
2. Damián Núñez EF, Soria Villanueva LM, Tejada Mendoza MA, Alcoser SDI, Garay JPP, Hernández-Vásquez R. Perfectionism as a Paradoxical Factor in Sport and Exercise Performance: An Umbrella Review. Iran J Psychiatry. 2024;19(2):247-54.
3. Lippi G, Mattiuzzi C, Sanchis-Gomar F. Updated overview on interplay between physical exercise, neurotrophins, and cognitive function in humans. J Sport Health Sci. 2020;9(1):74-81.
4. Kao SC, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Shigeta TT, Walk AM, Chang YK, Pontifex MB, et al. A systematic review of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness on P3b. Psychophysiology. 2020;57(7):e13425.
5. Petriz BA, Gomes CP, Almeida JA, de Oliveira GP, Jr., Ribeiro FM, Pereira RW, et al. The Effects of Acute and Chronic Exercise on Skeletal Muscle Proteome. J Cell Physiol. 2017;232(2):257-69.
6. Davoud A, Abazari M. The Relationship between Quality of Life and Physical Activity, Worry, Depression, and Insomnia in Pregnant Women. Iran J Psychiatry. 2020;15(2):159-68.
7. Petruzzello SJ, Landers DM, Hatfield BD, Kubitz KA, Salazar W. A meta-analysis on the anxiety-reducing effects of acute and chronic exercise. Outcomes and mechanisms. Sports Med. 1991;11(3):143-82.
8. Dauwan M, Begemann MJH, Slot MIE, Lee EHM, Scheltens P, Sommer IEC. Physical exercise improves quality of life, depressive symptoms, and cognition across chronic brain disorders: a transdiagnostic systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Neurol. 2021;268(4):1222-46.
9. Gerber M, Imboden C, Beck J, Brand S, Colledge F, Eckert A, et al. Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Cortisol Stress Reactivity in Response to the Trier Social Stress Test in Inpatients with Major Depressive Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Clin Med. 2020;9(5):1419.
10. Beserra AHN, Kameda P, Deslandes AC, Schuch FB, Laks J, Moraes HS. Can physical exercise modulate cortisol level in subjects with depression? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Trends Psychiatry Psychother. 2018;40(4):360-8.
11. Machado S, Telles G, Magalhaes F, Teixeira D, Amatriain-Fernández S, Budde H, et al. Can regular physical exercise be a treatment for panic disorder? A systematic review. Expert Rev Neurother. 2022;22(1):53-64.
12. Vysniauske R, Verburgh L, Oosterlaan J, Molendijk ML. The Effects of Physical Exercise on Functional Outcomes in the Treatment of ADHD: A Meta-Analysis. J Atten Disord. 2020;24(5):644-54.
13. De Nys L, Anderson K, Ofosu EF, Ryde GC, Connelly J, Whittaker AC. The effects of physical activity on cortisol and sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2022;143:105843.
14. Smith PJ, Merwin RM. The Role of Exercise in Management of Mental Health Disorders: An Integrative Review. Annu Rev Med. 2021;72:45-62.
15. Giménez-Meseguer J, Tortosa-Martínez J, Cortell-Tormo JM. The Benefits of Physical Exercise on Mental Disorders and Quality of Life in Substance Use Disorders Patients. Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(10):3680.
16. Schuch FB, Vancampfort D. Physical activity, exercise, and mental disorders: it is time to move on. Trends Psychiatry Psychother. 2021;43(3):177-84.
17. Andersen MH, Ottesen L, Thing LF. The social and psychological health outcomes of team sport participation in adults: An integrative review of research. Scand J Public Health. 2019;47(8):832-50.
18. Khaleghi A, Mohammadi MR, Shahi K, Nasrabadi AM. Computational Neuroscience Approach to Psychiatry: A Review on Theory-driven Approaches. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci. 2022;20(1):26-36.
19. Szuhany KL, Bugatti M, Otto MW. A meta-analytic review of the effects of exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor. J Psychiatr Res. 2015;60:56-64.
20. Valenzuela PL, Castillo-García A, Morales JS, de la Villa P, Hampel H, Emanuele E, et al. Exercise benefits on Alzheimer's disease: State-of-the-science. Ageing Res Rev. 2020;62:101108.
21. Wang R, Holsinger RMD. Exercise-induced brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression: Therapeutic implications for Alzheimer's dementia. Ageing Res Rev. 2018;48:109-21.
22. Ludyga S, Gerber M, Pühse U, Looser VN, Kamijo K. Systematic review and meta-analysis investigating moderators of long-term effects of exercise on cognition in healthy individuals. Nat Hum Behav. 2020;4(6):603-12.
23. Huang T, Larsen KT, Ried-Larsen M, Møller NC, Andersen LB. The effects of physical activity and exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor in healthy humans: A review. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2014;24(1):1-10.
24. Fiuza-Luces C, Santos-Lozano A, Joyner M, Carrera-Bastos P, Picazo O, Zugaza JL, et al. Exercise benefits in cardiovascular disease: beyond attenuation of traditional risk factors. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2018;15(12):731-43.
25. Cotman CW, Berchtold NC, Christie LA. Exercise builds brain health: key roles of growth factor cascades and inflammation. Trends Neurosci. 2007;30(9):464-72.
26. Whiting P, Savović J, Higgins JP, Caldwell DM, Reeves BC, Shea B, et al. ROBIS: A new tool to assess risk of bias in systematic reviews was developed. J Clin Epidemiol. 2016;69:225-34.
27. Tayyebi G, Alwan NH, Hamed AF, Shallal AA, Abdulrazzaq T, Khayayi R. Application of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in Children and Adolescents Psychotherapy: An Umbrella Review. Iran J Psychiatry. 2024;19(3):337-43.
28. Zhang M, Jia J, Yang Y, Zhang L, Wang X. Effects of exercise interventions on cognitive functions in healthy populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Ageing Res Rev. 2023;92:102116.
29. Liu S, Yu Q, Li Z, Cunha PM, Zhang Y, Kong Z, et al. Effects of Acute and Chronic Exercises on Executive Function in Children and Adolescents: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Psychol. 2020;11:554915.
30. Haverkamp BF, Wiersma R, Vertessen K, van Ewijk H, Oosterlaan J, Hartman E. Effects of physical activity interventions on cognitive outcomes and academic performance in adolescents and young adults: A meta-analysis. J Sports Sci. 2020;38(23):2637-60.
31. Chen FT, Etnier JL, Chan KH, Chiu PK, Hung TM, Chang YK. Effects of Exercise Training Interventions on Executive Function in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2020;50(8):1451-67.
32. Loprinzi PD, Frith E, Edwards MK, Sng E, Ashpole N. The Effects of Exercise on Memory Function Among Young to Middle-Aged Adults: Systematic Review and Recommendations for Future Research. Am J Health Promot. 2018;32(3):691-704.
33. Huang H, Jin Z, He C, Guo S, Zhang Y, Quan M. Chronic Exercise for Core Symptoms and Executive Functions in ADHD: A Meta-analysis. Pediatrics. 2023;151(1):e2022057745.
34. Liang X, Li R, Wong SHS, Sum RKW, Wang P, Yang B, et al. The Effects of Exercise Interventions on Executive Functions in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2022;52(1):75-88.
35. Lin C, Li D, Wang X, Yang S. Chronic exercise interventions for executive function in overweight children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Sports Act Living. 2024;6:1336648.
36. Sun X, Li Y, Cai L, Wang Y. Effects of physical activity interventions on cognitive performance of overweight or obese children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pediatr Res. 2021;89(1):46-53.
37. Stillman CM, Cohen J, Lehman ME, Erickson KI. Mediators of Physical Activity on Neurocognitive Function: A Review at Multiple Levels of Analysis. Front Hum Neurosci. 2016;10:626.
38. Fernandes J, Arida RM, Gomez-Pinilla F. Physical exercise as an epigenetic modulator of brain plasticity and cognition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2017;80:443-56.
39. Loprinzi PD, Frith E. A brief primer on the mediational role of BDNF in the exercise-memory link. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging. 2019;39(1):9-14.
40. Arvidson E, Dahlman AS, Börjesson M, Gullstrand L, Jonsdottir IH. The effects of exercise training on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis reactivity and autonomic response to acute stress-a randomized controlled study. Trials. 2020;21(1):888.
41. Alizadeh Pahlavani H. Possible role of exercise therapy on depression: Effector neurotransmitters as key players. Behav Brain Res. 2024;459:114791.
42. Hvid LG, Harwood DL, Eskildsen SF, Dalgas U. A Critical Systematic Review of Current Evidence on the Effects of Physical Exercise on Whole/Regional Grey Matter Brain Volume in Populations at Risk of Neurodegeneration. Sports Med. 2021;51(8):1651-71.
43. Gramkow MH, Hasselbalch SG, Waldemar G, Frederiksen KS. Resting State EEG in Exercise Intervention Studies: A Systematic Review of Effects and Methods. Front Hum Neurosci. 2020;14:155.
44. Won J, Callow DD, Pena GS, Gogniat MA, Kommula Y, Arnold-Nedimala NA, et al. Evidence for exercise-related plasticity in functional and structural neural network connectivity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2021;131:923-40.
45. Gubert C, Kong G, Renoir T, Hannan AJ. Exercise, diet and stress as modulators of gut microbiota: Implications for neurodegenerative diseases. Neurobiol Dis. 2020;134:104621.
46. Hashimoto T, Tsukamoto H, Ando S, Ogoh S. Effect of Exercise on Brain Health: The Potential Role of Lactate as a Myokine. Metabolites. 2021;11(12):813.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 19 No 4 (2024) | |
| Section | Review Article(s) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/ijps.v19i4.16561 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Cognitive Function Exercise Mental Health Physical Activity Psychiatric Disorders | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Abdalkareem Jasim S, Singh M, Al-Dhalimy AMB, Zwamel AH, Jawad IA, Shalaby NS. The Impact of Chronic Exercise on Cognitive Function: An Overview of Reviews. Iran J Psychiatry. 2024;19(4):463-472.
