ReviewBrain sciences2024
The Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels (BNDF): A Systematic Review.
Review in Brain sciences, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 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
17 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Comparative effects of structured exercise protocols on depression and anxiety symptoms: a network meta-analysis.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Acute and chronic effects of high-intensity interval training on selected exerkine secretion in health, disease, and aging: a systematic review.Frontiers in physiology · 2025Pooled it
- High-intensity interval training differentially modulates acute BDNF and cognitive responses in young adult males: a randomized crossover trial.Scientific reports · 2026Trial
- High-intensity interval training modulates neural oscillations and inter-regional connectivity in college students.BMC neuroscience · 2026Trial
- Time-dependent comparison of serum BDNF responses following high-intensity interval exercise and moderate- and low-intensity continuous exercise in healthy young men.Scientific reports · 2026Trial
- Role of Exercise in Modulating the Brain-Heart Axis in Cardiovascular Diseases.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- The Emerging Role of N-Lactoyl-Phenylalanine (Lac-Phe) in Metabolic Regulation and Disease: From Exercise-Induced Metabolite to Therapeutic Candidate.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- The effectiveness of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in adults with psychiatric disorders: a scoping review.Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology · 2026Review
- Can participation in sports enhance adolescents' subjective wellbeing? The chain mediation role of social support and basic psychological needs.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Improved cognitive flexibility after high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in individuals with Parkinson's disease: a pilot randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences · 2026Article
- Hidden in plain sight: verbal declarative memory effects of exercise are eight times larger than aggregate estimates suggest.Frontiers in human neuroscience · 2026Article
- CoQ10-Supported HIIT Modulates Skeletal Muscle and Hippocampal Biomarkers in Rats: A Randomized, Repeated-Measures, Post-Test Controlled Design.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Acute Neurochemical, Psychophysiological, and Cognitive Responses to Small-Sided Games vs. Running-Based HIIT in Young, Male Soccer Players.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- From Synaptic Plasticity to Neurodegeneration: BDNF as a Transformative Target in Medicine.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Special Issue "Molecular Insights into the Role of Exercise in Disease and Health".International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- The Efficacy of HIIT Programs for the Improvement of Aerobic Capacity and Functionality for Stroke Survivors: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Neurology research international · 2025Review
- A 24-week multi-component exercise program improves cognition and body composition in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectivesHigh-intensity interval training (HIIT) alternates short periods of intense exercise with recovery, effectively enhancing cardiorespiratory fitness, endurance, and strength in various populations. Concurrently, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) supports neuronal resilience and activity-dependent plasticity, which are vital for learning and memory. This study aims to systematically review changes in BDNF levels in response to HIIT, with three primary objectives: evaluating the benefits of HIIT for BDNF modulation, assessing methodological quality and the risk of bias in reviewed studies, and identifying patterns in BDNF response based on HIIT protocols and population characteristics.
methodsComprehensive database searches were conducted in PubMed and SPORTDiscus to identify relevant studies published up to April 2024. Given the diversity in study designs and outcomes, a narrative synthesis was performed rather than a meta-analysis. Bias was evaluated using visualization tools such as RobVis, and the review was conducted by a single researcher, which may limit its comprehensiveness.
resultsTwelve studies met the inclusion criteria, with most indicating significant increases in BDNF levels post-HIIT, suggesting HIIT's potential to enhance neuroplasticity and cognitive functions. However, variations in BDNF responses were observed across different HIIT protocols and study populations. Some studies reported decreases or no change in BDNF levels, reflecting the complex regulation of BDNF influenced by factors such as exercise intensity, duration, and individual variability.
conclusionsHIIT shows promise as an intervention for increasing BDNF levels, with potential benefits for brain health and cognitive function. These findings underscore the need for further research to confirm the optimal conditions under which HIIT can effectively enhance neurological outcomes. Future studies should explore standardized HIIT protocols and the long-term impact of HIIT on BDNF and neuroplasticity.
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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.