ReviewLife (Basel, Switzerland)2025
Exercise as Modulator of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in Children: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Review in Life (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis 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
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Effects of exercise interventions on executive function in autism spectrum disorder: a three-level meta-analytic review.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Exercise-induced neuropeptidergic and neurochemical neuroadaptation in stress regulation and emotional disorders.Acta neurologica Belgica · 2026Review
- Molecular Distinctions, Diagnosis, and Mechanism-Based Therapies in Lipedema and Obesity.Current issues in molecular biology · 2026Review
- Exercise-Induced Metaplasticity: Breaking the Addiction Cycle in Methamphetamine Use Disorder.Sports medicine - open · 2026Review
- Longitudinal trends and sociodemographic inequalities in comorbid insufficient physical activity and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents and young adults, 2016-2022.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- The Effects of Family-Based Programs on Preschool Children's Screen Time: A Systematic Review.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Training Load Oscillation and Epigenetic Plasticity: Molecular Pathways Connecting Energy Metabolism and Athletic Personality.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Physical activity, sedentary behavior, and cognitive function in children and adolescents: a scoping review of dose-response relationships, screen time interactions, and public health implications.Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience · 2026Review
- Associations between objectively measured physical activity intensities and executive function in preschool children: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Are Team Sports Effective in Improving Mental Health? A Systematic Review on the Primary Outcomes of Anxiety and Mood.Clinical practice and epidemiology in mental health : CP & EMH · 2026Review
- The Effect of Physical-Activity-Based Programs on School Children's Cognitive Competence-Related Variables: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundBrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a pivotal role in neuroplasticity and cognitive development. While exercise has been shown to modulate BDNF levels in adults, evidence in children remains limited and heterogeneous.
methodsA systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines to examine randomized controlled trials investigating exercise effects on BDNF in children aged 5-12 years. The databases searched included FECYT, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, ProQuest Central, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Library through June 2025. Study quality was assessed using the PEDro scale.
resultsFive randomized controlled trials (N = 385 participants) met inclusion criteria. Two studies (40%) demonstrated significant BDNF increases following exercise interventions. Successful interventions were characterized by neuromotor activities or martial arts programs, training frequencies ≥ 3 sessions/week, durations ≥ 12 weeks, and healthy participant populations. Methodological quality was mostly fair, with four studies rated as fair and one as good.
conclusionsStructured physical exercise may enhance BDNF levels in healthy children, with neuromotor activities and martial arts showing particular promise. However, children with overweight/obesity may require modified intervention approaches. The evidence supports the implementation of cognitively engaging physical activities in educational settings to optimize brain health during critical developmental periods, though larger standardized trials are needed to strengthen these preliminary findings.
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Identifiers
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.