Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38108993›Full record

SynthesisGeroScience2024

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of physical exercise on white matter integrity and cognitive function in older adults.

Weikun Zhang, Chenglin Zhou, Antao Chen

Open access · greenAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in GeroScience, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
22citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
5.5field-weighted citation impact, top 3% 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.

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

22 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 24 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. The effectiveness of nudge-based physical activity interventions in frail older adults: a systematic review.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2026
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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

3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Weikun ZhangSchool of Psychology, Research Center for Exercise and Brain Science, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200082, China.
Chenglin ZhouSchool of Psychology, Research Center for Exercise and Brain Science, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200082, China.
Antao ChenSchool of Psychology, Research Center for Exercise and Brain Science, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200082, China. chenantao@sus.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0001-9321-681X
Shanghai University of Sport · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

In the context of a globally aging population, exploring interventions that counteract age-related cognitive decline and cerebral structural alterations is paramount. Among various strategies, physical exercise (PE) emerges as a prevalent activity routinely incorporated in many individuals' lives. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to elucidate the impact of PE on white matter (WM) integrity and cognitive function in older adults. Data from 581 participants, 312 in the PE intervention group, and 269 in the control group were extracted from nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) retrieved from databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. The results indicated a significant improvement in white matter (WM) integrity in individuals engaged in PE, as evidenced by enhanced fractional anisotropy (FA) scores (SMD = 0.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.05, 0.75], P = 0.024). The GRADE assessment revealed a moderate risk. However, no significant associations were found between PE and other metrics such as radial diffusivity (RD), mean diffusivity (MD), white matter volume (WMV), hippocampal volume (HV), and cognitive functions (executive function [EF], memory, processing speed). In conclusion, our study emphasizes the potential neurostructural and cognitive functional benefits of physical exercise for the brain health of older adults.

Indexed as

White MatterAgedBrainCognitionDiffusion Tensor ImagingExerciseHumansBrain white matter integrityCognitive functionMeta-analysisPhysical exercise

Identifiers

PMID38108993
PMCPMC10828294
OpenAlexW4389895119

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.