Badminton Improves Executive Function in Adults Living with Mild Intellectual Disability

Abstract

Background: Adults with intellectual disability have limited executive function—which includes working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control subcomponents—making their ability to live independently challenging. The present study explored whether a badminton intervention program could improve the executive function of adults living with a mild intellectual disability, but with no physical disability. Methods: This randomized controlled study randomly assigned 30 adults with mild intellectual disabilities recruited from Shanghai Sunshine bases in Shanghai (20 males and 10 females; mean age, 35.80 (3.93) years) to a badminton intervention program (n = 15, training for 12 weeks, 3 times/week, 60 min each time) or the control group (n = 15), which received a typical physical education course consisting primarily of gymnastics. Correct response rates and response times on the Stroop test, n-back task, and task switching were analyzed using two-way analyses of variance, followed by simple effects tests to evaluate inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, respectively, before and after the badminton intervention. Results: No significant difference was detected between the badminton group and the control group (p > 0.05) for their pre-test scores on any subcomponent of executive function. A 2 × 2 repeated-measures analysis of variance showed a significant increase in accuracy in the inhibitory control task for the badminton group after the intervention (p < 0.05). In addition, the accuracy rate and reaction time in a working memory task were significantly improved in the badminton group after the intervention (p < 0.05). Although some improvement in cognitive flexibility was observed for this group after the intervention, it was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In the control group, there was no significant difference in any executive function subcomponents after the intervention (p > 0.05). Conclusions: These results suggest that badminton may be used as an effective intervention to improve the executive function of adults with a mild intellectual disability and that our protocol may inform future badminton exercise intervention programs.

Benefits of Badminton for Preventing Cognitive Decline and Dementia

“…Previous studies supported the effects of longer badminton exercises on cognitive function. In adults with mild intellectual disability, badminton exercise training for 12 weeks affected executive function in improving inhibitory control and working memory [41]. In elite young adult badminton players, years of badminton training were associated with greater visuomotor integration, indicating badminton training may elevate sports-related skills in eye-hand coordination [5].…”

Benefits of Badminton for Preventing Cognitive Decline and Dementia

“…Previous studies have supported the positive effects of longer badminton exercises on cognitive function. Badminton exercise training (moderate intensity, 40 min/training, thrice weekly for 12 weeks) improved executive function in inhibitory control and working memory in adults with mild intellectual disabilities [26]. In elite young adult badminton players, years of badminton training were associated with greater visuomotor integration, suggesting that badminton training elevates sports-related skills in eye-hand coordination [5].…”

“…High-intensity badminton can enhance cognitive function with at least 10 min once weekly or 20 min once weekly on average [28,29,42]. In contrast, moderate-intensity badminton is effective with at least 30 min once weekly or 35 min twice weekly on average [26,43]. For blood pressure, recreational badminton for about 3 h weekly showed benefits [16,47].…”

“…A badminton intervention program improved executive function in adults with mild intellectual disability [26]. A study using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional MRI (fMRI) in professional badminton players demonstrated that badminton training and practice are associated with increased gray matter concentration in the cerebellum and functional alterations in fronto-parietal connectivity [27].…”

Executive functions scale for university students: UEF-1

“…Diverse research has presented the role of executive functions in the setting of human daily life (Józsa et al, 2022). For example, the role of the environment as a stimulator of executive functions has been identified, where social, economic (Hilton et al, 2022;Murtha et al, 2023), health aspects (Stinchcombe et al, 2023;Wang et al, 2023) or sports practices (Jun, 2023) play a determining factor in the development. In addition, executive functions have been identified in relation to the success of human beings in educational settings (Stark and Lindo, 2022;Heitzer et al, 2023;Kolovelonis et al, 2023), regarding the reduction of problems such as stress and anxiety (Anderson and Marino, 2022).…”