Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27400928›Full record

SynthesisJournal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996)2017

Sweat it out? The effects of physical exercise on cognition and behavior in children and adults with ADHD: a systematic literature review.

Anne E Den Heijer, Yvonne Groen, Lara Tucha, Anselm B M Fuermaier, Janneke Koerts, Klaus W Lange, Johannes Thome, Oliver Tucha

Registry-linked trialOpen access · hybridAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996), 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05308758 (Effect of Game-based High-Intensity Interval Training Program on the Executive Function of Children With ADHD), which is not on this map. Cited by 72 papers, 11 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
72citing papers in PubMed, 11 pooled it
8.9field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT05308758 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2021, after this paper: background citation

Effect of Game-based High-Intensity Interval Training Program on the Executive Function of Children With ADHD: Protocol of A Randomized Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorEducation University of Hong KongRan2021 to 2024Enrolled47ConditionsAdhd Deficits in Attention Motor Control and PerceptionArmsGame-based High-Intensity Interval Training, GameSAE
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

72 citing papers in PubMed, 11 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 191 citations in OpenAlex.

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  4. Social exercise interventions for children who have complex developmental needs: A systematic review.Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and community · 2025
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  12. Trial
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12 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Anne E Den HeijerDepartment of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS, Groningen, The Netherlands. a.e.den.heijer@rug.nl.
Yvonne GroenDepartment of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Lara TuchaDepartment of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Anselm B M FuermaierDepartment of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Janneke KoertsDepartment of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Klaus W LangeDepartment of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Universitätssraße 31, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
Johannes ThomeDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Rostock, Gehlsheimer Straße 20, 18147, Rostock, Germany.
Oliver TuchaDepartment of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS, Groningen, The Netherlands.
University of Groningen · NLUniversity of Regensburg · DEUniversity of Rostock · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

As attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most frequently diagnosed developmental disorders in childhood, effective yet safe treatment options are highly important. Recent research introduced physical exercise as a potential treatment option, particularly for children with ADHD. The aim of this review was to systematically analyze potential acute and chronic effects of cardio and non-cardio exercise on a broad range of functions in children with ADHD and to explore this in adults as well. Literature on physical exercise in patients with ADHD was systematically reviewed based on categorizations for exercise type (cardio versus non-cardio), effect type (acute versus chronic), and outcome measure (cognitive, behavioral/socio-emotional, and physical/(neuro)physiological). Furthermore, the methodological quality of the reviewed papers was addressed. Cardio exercise seems acutely beneficial regarding various executive functions (e.g., impulsivity), response time and several physical measures. Beneficial chronic effects of cardio exercise were found on various functions as well, including executive functions, attention and behavior. The acute and chronic effects of non-cardio exercise remain more questionable but seem predominantly positive too. Research provides evidence that physical exercise represents a promising alternative or additional treatment option for patients with ADHD. Acute and chronic beneficial effects of especially cardio exercise were reported with regard to several cognitive, behavioral, and socio-emotional functions. Although physical exercise may therefore represent an effective treatment option that could be combined with other treatment approaches of ADHD, more well-controlled studies on this topic, in both children and adults, are needed.

Indexed as

Attention Deficit Disorder with HyperactivityExercise TherapyCognitionExerciseHumansADHDAdultsBehaviorChildrenCognitionExercisePhysical

Identifiers

PMID27400928
PMCPMC5281644
OpenAlexW2462478342

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.