SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Aging Neurosci.
Sec. Neurocognitive Aging and Behavior
Volume 17 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2025.1553868
This article is part of the Research TopicMechanisms and Interventions for Enhancing Cognitive Reserve in Aging PopulationsView all 7 articles
Effects of Exercise Interventions on Cognitive Function in Patients with Cognitive Dysfunction: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses
Provisionally accepted
- 1Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
- 2Peking University, Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
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Objective: This umbrella review assessed the quality, potential biases, and effects of exercise interventions on cognitive function in individuals with cognitive impairments.A comprehensive umbrella review of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was performed to evaluate the effects of exercise on cognitive function in individuals with cognitive impairments. Databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched. Outcomes were evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system, classified as "high," "moderate," "low," or "very low" quality.: A total of 55 meta-analyses were included, covering dementia, cognitive impairment, MCI, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and stroke. Cognitive outcomes were assessed using scales like MMSE and MoCA. High-quality evidence supports Exergaming (SMD 0.69), Tai Chi (SMD 0.36), and traditional Chinese mind-body exercises (SMD 0.32) for improving MMSE and MoCA Score in MCI patients. For dementia, moderate-quality evidence shows resistance training(SMD 0.60) and Tai Chi(SMD 0.27) have positive effects. Aerobic exercise(MD 2.95) was more effective for AD, while mind-body exercises(MD 1.68) benefitted PD patients. Multi-component exercises(SMD 0.67) improved MMSE and MoCA scores in post-stroke cognitive impairment. For unspecified cognitive impairments, combining exercise with cognitive training and traditional Chinese exercises showed higher effectiveness. Due to small sample sizes, all findings were Class IV evidence, requiring further research. Conclusion: Moderate to high-quality evidence supports Exergaming, Tai Chi, and traditional Chinese exercises in improving cognitive function in MCI. For dementia, resistance training and Tai Chi are effective; for AD, aerobic exercise; for PD, mind-body exercises; and for post-stroke cognitive impairment, multi-component exercises are beneficial.
Keywords: Exercise, cognitive dysfunction, Umbrella review, Meta-analysis, Systematic review
Received: 31 Dec 2024; Accepted: 30 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Sun, Ding, Zheng and Ma. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Hongtao Ma, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.