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Physical activity to improve cognition in older adults: can physical activity programs enriched with cognitive challenges enhance the effects? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Gheysen F, Poppe L, DeSmet A, Swinnen S, Cardon G, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Chastin S, Fias W.. The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 2018-07-04
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Aging-related cognitive decline and cognitive impairment greatly impacts older adults' daily life. The worldwide ageing of the population and associated wave of dementia urgently calls for prevention strategies to reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Physical activity (PA) is known to improve cognitive function at older age through processes of neuroplasticity. Yet, emerging studies suggest that larger cognitive gains may be induced when PA interventions are combined with cognitive activity (CA). This meta-analysis evaluates these potential synergistic effects by comparing cognitive effects following combined PA + CA interventions to PA interventions (PA only), CA interventions (CA only) and control groups. Methods Pubmed, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL and Sportdiscus were searched for English peer-reviewed papers until April 2018. Data were extracted on cognition and factors potentially influencing the cognitive effects: mode of PA + CA combination (sequential or simultaneous), session frequency and duration, intervention length and study quality. Differences between older adults with and without mild cognitive impairments were also explored. Results Forty-one studies were included. Relative to the control group, combined PA + CA intervention showed significantly larger gains in cognition (g = 0.316; 95% CI 0.188-0.443; p Conclusion Findings of the current meta-analysis suggest that PA programs for older adults could integrate challenging cognitive exercises to improve cognitive health. Combined PA + CA programs should be promoted as a modality for preventing as well as treating cognitive decline in older adults. Sufficient cognitive challenge seems more important to obtain cognitive effects than high doses of intervention sessions.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Gheysen, F., Poppe, L., DeSmet, A., Swinnen, S., Cardon, G., De Bourdeaudhuij, I., et al. (2018). Physical activity to improve cognition in older adults: can physical activity programs enriched with cognitive challenges enhance the effects? A systematic review and meta-analysis. The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-018-0697-x
Vancouver
Gheysen F, Poppe L, DeSmet A, Swinnen S, Cardon G, De Bourdeaudhuij I, et al. Physical activity to improve cognition in older adults: can physical activity programs enriched with cognitive challenges enhance the effects? A systematic review and meta-analysis. The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity. 2018. doi:10.1186/s12966-018-0697-x. PMID: 29973193.
BibTeX
@article{gheysen2018-29973193,
author = {Gheysen, F. and Poppe, L. and DeSmet, A. and Swinnen, S. and Cardon, G. and De Bourdeaudhuij, I. and Chastin, S. and Fias, W.},
title = {{Physical activity to improve cognition in older adults: can physical activity programs enriched with cognitive challenges enhance the effects? A systematic review and meta-analysis}},
journal = {The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1186/s12966-018-0697-x},
pmid = {29973193},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-018-0697-x}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Yet, emerging studies suggest that larger cognitive gains may be induced when PA interventions are combined with cognitive activity (CA).
- Relative to the control group, combined PA + CA intervention showed significantly larger gains in cognition (g = 0.316; 95% CI 0.188-0.443; p < .001).
Why it matters
Combining physical activity with cognitive challenges led to larger cognitive gains than control groups in this meta-analysis of 41 studies. The findings suggest physical activity programs for older adults could include cognitive exercises to improve cognition.
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Study details
- Study designmeta-analysis
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 64/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a meta-analysis pooling many studies. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity: journal h-index 208 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A meta-analysis pooling many studies |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 343 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 34.3 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 122 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Wim Fias: h-index 61 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | KU Leuven: institution h-index 1,386 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29973193) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 64 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1186/s12966-018-0697-x
- PubMed: 29973193
- Original source →
- Free full text: International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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