Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33675397›Full record

SynthesisBrain structure & function2021

Cognitive benefits of exercise interventions: an fMRI activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis.

Qian Yu, Fabian Herold, Benjamin Becker, Ben Klugah-Brown, Yanjie Zhang, Stephane Perrey, Nicola Veronese, Notger G Müller, Arthur F Kramer, Liye Zou

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Brain structure & function, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 54 papers, 9 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
54citing papers in PubMed, 9 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

54 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  20. Brain Resting-state Functional Connectivity Mediates the Age-associated Decline in Physical Activity Engagement.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2025
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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

10 authors.

Qian YuExercise and Mental Health Laboratory, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.
Fabian HeroldResearch Group Neuroprotection, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany.
Benjamin BeckerThe Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, Sichuan, China.
Ben Klugah-BrownThe Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, Sichuan, China.
Yanjie ZhangExercise and Mental Health Laboratory, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.
Stephane Perrey, EuroMov Digital Health in Motion, Univ Montpellier, IMT Mines Ales, Montpellier, France.
Nicola VeronesePrimary Care Department, Azienda ULSS 3 (Unità Locale Socio Sanitaria) Serenissima, Dolo-Mirano District, Venice, Italy.
Notger G MüllerResearch Group Neuroprotection, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany.
Arthur F KramerCenter for Cognitive and Brain Health, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Liye ZouExercise and Mental Health Laboratory, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China. liyezou123@gmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Despite a growing number of functional MRI studies reporting exercise-induced changes during cognitive processing, a systematic determination of the underlying neurobiological pathways is currently lacking. To this end, our neuroimaging meta-analysis included 20 studies and investigated the influence of physical exercise on cognition-related functional brain activation. The overall meta-analysis encompassing all experiments revealed physical exercise-induced changes in the left parietal lobe during cognitive processing. Subgroup analysis further revealed that in the younger-age group (< 35 years old) physical exercise induced more widespread changes in the right hemisphere, whereas in the older-age group (≥ 35 years old) exercise-induced changes were restricted to the left parietal lobe. Subgroup analysis for intervention duration showed that shorter exercise interventions induced changes in regions connected with frontoparietal and default mode networks, whereas regions exhibiting effects of longer interventions connected with frontoparietal and dorsal attention networks. Our findings suggest that physical exercise interventions lead to changes in functional activation patterns primarily located in precuneus and associated with frontoparietal, dorsal attention and default mode networks.

Indexed as

ExerciseLikelihood FunctionsMagnetic Resonance ImagingBrainCognitionHumansNerve NetBrain healthCognitionExerciseNetwork

Identifiers

PMID33675397

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

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.