SynthesisJournal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD2022
Physical Activity and Cognition in Sedentary Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 36 citations in OpenAlex.
- The effect of different exercise interventions on global cognitive function in patients with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.BMC public health · 2026Pooled it
- An umbrella review of randomized control trials on the effects of physical exercise on cognition.Nature human behaviour · 2023Pooled it
- Effects of mindfulness training on sustained attention and mind-wandering in older adults: results from the HealthyAgers randomized controlled trial.The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences · 2026Trial
- The Moderating Effect of Physical Activity on the Association Between Cognitive Function and Fear of Falling in Low-Income Community-Dwelling Older Adults.Research in gerontological nursing · 2026Article
- Effect of Environment on the Cognition of Older Adults: A Narrative Review.Brain sciences · 2026Review
- The association between handgrip strength, physical, and cognitive function among hospitalized older adults in Tanzania.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- Physical activity, social support, and working memory in older adults: evidence from a Chinese sample.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Donepezil treatment, alone or combined with exercise, enhances skeletal muscle function in healthy and advanced aging disease mouse models.Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985) · 2025Article
- Effects of Body Weight Strength Training on Cognitive Function and Quality of Life in Healthy Older People: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Moving as We Age: Effects of Physical Activity Programmes on Older Adults-An Umbrella Review.Geriatrics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Psychological Stress and Cognitive Brain Health: Policies to Reduce Dementia Risk.Policy insights from the behavioral and brain sciences · 2025Article
- Understanding Cognitive Decline in Aging: Mechanisms and Mitigation Strategies - A Narrative Review.Clinical interventions in aging · 2025Review
- Associations of physical activity and quality of life in parapneumonic effusion patients.ERJ open research · 2023Article
- Mind body exercise improves cognitive function more than aerobic- and resistance exercise in healthy adults aged 55 years and older - an umbrella review.European review of aging and physical activity : official journal of the European Group for Research into Elderly and Physical Activity · 2023Review
- Myokines as mediators of exercise-induced cognitive changes in older adults: protocol for a comprehensive living systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundEpidemiologic evidence suggests that physical activity benefits cognition, but results from randomized trials in sedentary individuals are limited and inconsistent.
objectiveTo evaluate the effects of physical activity on cognition among sedentary older adults.
objectiveA systematic literature search for eligible studies published up to January 1, 2021, was performed on six international (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Sinomed, FMRS, and OVID) and three Chinese databases (Wanfang, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and VIP). We estimated the effect of physical activity on the cognition of sedentary elderly by standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a random-effects model. We evaluated publication bias using funnel plots and heterogeneity using I2 statistics. Subgroup analyses were conducted by baseline cognition, intervention duration, activity type, and country.
resultsSeven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comprising 321 (experimental group, 164; control group, 157) sedentary older adults were included in the meta-analysis. Physical activity significantly improved cognition in sedentary elderly adults compared with controls (SMD: 0.50, 95% CI:0.09-0.92). Subgroup analyses showed significant effects of baseline cognition impairment (SMD: 9.80, 95% CI: 5.81-13.80), intervention duration > 12 weeks (SMD: 2.85, 95% CI: 0.73-4.96), aerobic exercise (SMD: 0.74, CI: 0.19-1.29), and countries other than the United States (SMD: 10.50, 95% CI: 7.08-13.92).
conclusionPhysical activity might have a general positive effect on the cognition of sedentary older adults. Intervention > 12 weeks and aerobic exercise can effectively delay their cognitive decline; however, more rigorous RCTs are needed to support our findings.
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What OpenQuestion holds
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.