Physical Activity, Cognition, and Brain Outcomes: A Review of the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines

Abstract

Purpose: Physical activity (PA) is known to improve cognitive and brain function, but debate continues regarding the consistency and magnitude of its effects, populations and cognitive domains most affected, and parameters necessary to achieve the greatest improvements (e.g., dose). Methods:In this umbrella review conducted in part for the 2018 Health and Human Services Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Advisory Committee, we examined whether PA interventions enhance cognitive and brain outcomes across the lifespan, as well as in populations experiencing cognitive dysfunction (e.g., schizophrenia). Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and pooled analyses were used. We further examined whether engaging in greater amounts of PA is associated with a reduced risk of developing cognitive impairment and dementia in late adulthood.

Associations of Objectively-Assessed Physical Activity and Sedentary Time with Hippocampal Gray Matter Volume in Children with Overweight/Obesity

“…We decided to focus our analyses on the hippocampus given that it is a brain region highly sensitive to PA in older populations [36,55]. Thus far, evidence in youths is limited with only two previous studies investigating the relationship of PA with GMV in adolescents [14,15].…”

Variability in Executive Control Performance Is Predicted by Physical Activity

“…Generally, we expect that as self-reported PA levels increase, IIV on executive control tasks will decline. Particularly, considering the volume of literature suggesting that the greatest benefits to cognitive performance emerge from moderate to vigorous intensity PA (Erickson et al, 2019), we expect that larger values of moderate to vigorous intensity PA will be associated with smaller IIV levels and, we do not expect low intensity PA to be related to IIV. Further, we anticipate that total METs and RTCV would be negatively related, such that as total METs increased, RTCV would lessen.…”

“…Additionally, acute PA interventions, those occurring immediately preceding cognitive assessment, have been shown to benefit choice RT, executive control, and memory in young adults (Chang et al, 2012). Nevertheless, research has not universally endorsed PA as an effective intervention for enhancing cognitive performance, particularly for young adults (Etnier et al, 2006;Voss et al, 2011;Verburgh et al, 2014;Cox et al, 2016;Erickson et al, 2019).…”

The Influence of a Health-Related Fitness Training Program on Motor Performance as Well as Hematological and Biochemical Parameters

“…Consequently, PA represents an important component of prevention and/or attenuation of chronic diseases, including diabetes mellitus, cancer, obesity, hypertension, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, and depression [1]. The benefits of PA on psychosocial and cognitive health have been also confirmed [2][3][4]. Further, PA has a beneficial effect on general health conditions and induces metabolic changes that are manifested in hematological changes of clinical biochemistry parameters [5][6][7][8].…”