Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30564546›Full record

ReviewBrain plasticity (Amsterdam, Netherlands)2018

Exercise and the Aging Brain: Considerations for Sex Differences.

Cindy K Barha, Teresa Liu-Ambrose

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Brain plasticity (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 65 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
65citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

65 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  9. Home-based physical exercice with additional cognitive training for improving mobility in older adults: a secondary analysis of the COVEPIC randomized controlled trial.European review of aging and physical activity : official journal of the European Group for Research into Elderly and Physical Activity · 2026
    Article
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  12. Cardiovascular contributions to dementia: Examining sex differences and female-specific factors.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2025
    Review
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5 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

2 authors.

Cindy K BarhaDjavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, Canada.
Teresa Liu-AmbroseDjavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Engaging in targeted exercise interventions is a promising, non-pharmacological strategy to mitigate the deleterious effects of aging and disease on brain health. However, despite its therapeutic potential, a large amount of variation exists in exercise efficacy in older adults aged 55 and older. In this review, we present the argument that biological sex may be an important moderator of the relationship between physical activity and cognition. Sex differences exist in dementia as well as in several associated risk factors, including genetics, cardiovascular factors, inflammation, hormones and social and psychological factors. Different exercise interventions, such as aerobic training and resistance training, influence cognition and brain health in older adults and these effects may be sex-dependent. The biological mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of exercise on the brain may be different in males and females. Specifically, we examine sex differences in neuroplasticity, neurotrophic factors and physiological effects of exercise to highlight the possible mediators of sex differences in exercise efficacy on cognition. Future studies should address the potential sex difference in exercise efficacy if we are to develop effective, evidence-based exercise interventions to promote healthy brain aging for all individuals.

Indexed as

agingAlzheimer’s diseasebraincognitiondementiaExerciseneuroplasticityneurotrophic factorsphysical activitysex differences

Identifiers

PMID30564546
PMCPMC6296261

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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.