ArticlePloS one2021
Comparison of the effects of open- and closed-skill exercise on cognition and peripheral proteins: A cross-sectional study.
Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
26 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 33 citations in OpenAlex.
- What type of exercise prescription is best for improving cognitive flexibility in children and adolescents? A network meta-analysis.BMC psychology · 2026Pooled it
- Determining Cognitive Performance in Athletes: A Systematic Review Focused on Methodology of Applying Cognitive Tests.Scandinavian journal of psychology · 2025Pooled it
- Executive Function Strengths in Athletes: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Brain and behavior · 2025Pooled it
- Touch Restriction Versus Free-Play Small-Sided Games in Soccer: Acute Effects on Serum BDNF, Executive Function, and Technical Actions.European journal of sport science · 2026Trial
- Synaptic proteomics identifies cathepsin B as a regulator of synapse remodelling during learning.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Exercise, exerkines, and muscle-brain crosstalk in Parkinson's disease.Neuroprotection (Chichester, England) · 2026Review
- Neural Efficiency and Sensorimotor Adaptations in Swimming Athletes: A Systematic Review of Neuroimaging and Cognitive-Behavioral Evidence for Performance and Wellbeing.Brain sciences · 2026Review
- Differences in cognitive shifts and prefrontal activation among athletes with different motor skills: an fNIRS study.Frontiers in human neuroscience · 2026Article
- Open-skill vs. closed-skill sports and executive function in children and adolescents: a mini review of mechanisms and moderating factors.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Review
- Binocular vs. monocular 3D cues in multiple object tracking: expertise differences between soccer players and non-athletes.Cognitive research: principles and implications · 2025Article
- Acute Neurochemical, Psychophysiological, and Cognitive Responses to Small-Sided Games vs. Running-Based HIIT in Young, Male Soccer Players.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Exercise type-brain region interactions determine the effects of exercise on the hippocampus.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2025Article
- Neuronal Activity in Rat Hippocampus During Light-Intensity Treadmill Running.Advances in neurobiology · 2025Article
- Potential Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Mediating Effects of Exercise on Brain Function.Advances in neurobiology · 2025Review
- Opening the window to the children's mind: the superior efficacy of open-ended physical games in the development of attention and socio-emotional skills.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Comparative effectiveness of open and closed skill exercises on cognitive function in young adults: a fNIRS study.Scientific reports · 2024Observational
- Complex decongestive therapy improves finger tapping score in patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024Article
- Motor skill experience modulates attentional processing regardless of open- or closed-skill types: an ERP study.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Article
- Improving sensory integration in Chinese children with moderate sensory integration challenges through engaging basketball training.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Article
- Major Depressive Disorder and Gut Microbiota: Role of Physical Exercise.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Previous research indicates that different exercise modes might create different effects on cognition and peripheral protein signals. This study aimed to compare the effects of long-term participation in an open and closed-skill exercise on cognitive functions and Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and Cathepsin B levels. 18 fencers, 18 swimmers, 18 sedentary controls between 18-25 years old participated in the study. Participants performed visuospatial working memory, verbal fluency and selective attention tasks. Blood samples were tested for Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and Cathepsin B using ELISA. The results showed that fencers performed superiorly on some part of visuospatial working memory, verbal fluency, and selective attention tasks than swimmers and sedentary controls. Athlete groups showed higher scores on some subtests of visuospatial working memory and selective attention tasks than sedentary controls. The basal serum Brain-derived neurotrophic factor level was not significant between the groups, but Cathepsin B was higher in fencers than swimmers and sedentary controls. The peripheric protein signal response to acute exercise was significantly higher in athletes, particularly in the open-skill group for Cathepsin B. Our research provided noteworthy results that more cognitively challenging exercise may provide more benefits for some aspects of cognition. Since our findings suggest that open-skill exercise improves specific types of executive-control functioning, this exercise mode might be included in training programs to support cognition and prevent cognitive impairment.
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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.