Physical activity and executive functions in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

IF 4.3 2区医学 Q1 MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL

Preventive medicine Pub Date : 2025-02-16 DOI:10.1016/j.ypmed.2025.108246

Chang Liu , Ran Liu , Ruiyuan Tao , Jie Feng , Xiao Liang , Yijian Yang , Cindy Hui-ping Sit

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

The current study aimed to examine the effects of physical activity interventions on executive functions in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders and to identify possible moderators and the interactions among moderators.

Methods

Six databases (Web of Science, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and ERIC) were searched from inception to January 2024. Randomized controlled trials/quasi-experimental designs applying physical activity interventions and reporting at least one executive function outcome in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders were included. Random multilevel meta-analyses and moderator analyses were conducted in 2024.

Results

Thirty-nine studies were included, 35 of which were used for meta-analysis. The findings indicated that physical activity interventions elicited significant benefits for overall executive functions (Hedges' g = 0.60) and its subdomains: cognitive flexibility (Hedges' g = 0.60), inhibitory control (Hedges' g = 0.55), working memory (Hedges' g = 0.40), and higher-level functions (Hedges' g = 0.83). Session duration, number of intervention weeks, total session, and total duration were identified as moderators. The interactions among session duration, physical activity type, total duration, frequency, and executive function subdomains were also observed.

Conclusions

Physical activity interventions could serve as an alternative or adjunctive method to promote multiple aspects of executive functions in children and adolescents with different types of neurodevelopmental disorders. However, physical activity, especially the type, session duration and frequency, should be carefully designed to produce significant effects when targeting different domains of executive functions in this population.

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来源期刊

Preventive medicine 医学-公共卫生、环境卫生与职业卫生

CiteScore

7.70

自引率

3.90%

发文量

审稿时长

42 days

期刊介绍： Founded in 1972 by Ernst Wynder, Preventive Medicine is an international scholarly journal that provides prompt publication of original articles on the science and practice of disease prevention, health promotion, and public health policymaking. Preventive Medicine aims to reward innovation. It will favor insightful observational studies, thoughtful explorations of health data, unsuspected new angles for existing hypotheses, robust randomized controlled trials, and impartial systematic reviews. Preventive Medicine''s ultimate goal is to publish research that will have an impact on the work of practitioners of disease prevention and health promotion, as well as of related disciplines.