SynthesisActas espanolas de psiquiatria2025
The Effect of Exercise Intervention on Cognitive Function and Quality of Life With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in Actas espanolas de psiquiatria, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 2 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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effects of exercise on core symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and three-level meta-analysis.BMC psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Exercise dose architecture as a precision-informed developmental framework in autism spectrum disorder: a narrative review of mechanisms, sex- and development-related heterogeneity, and clinical translation.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Exercise as an Adjunctive Lifestyle Intervention for Psychiatric Comorbidities in Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2026Article
- Basketball participation improves sleep quality through psychological flexibility in adolescents.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Optimal type and dose of exercise to improve cognitive function in healthy and pre-sarcopenic older adults: a bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.European review of aging and physical activity : official journal of the European Group for Research into Elderly and Physical Activity · 2026Review
- Physical exercise therapy for autism spectrum disorder: a scoping review of systematic reviews.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Socioeconomic, lifestyle and clinical determinants of health-related quality of life in adults with celiac disease: a national cross-sectional study.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPhysical exercise may confer benefits on cognitive function and quality of life in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the evidence has not been co mprehensively synthesized. This study aimed to investigate the effect of exercise intervention on cognitive function and quality of life with ASD, and provide evidence to support the scientific use of exercise interventions in practice.
methodsWe systematically searched major databases from inception to November 2023 for randomized trials and observational studies examining exercise interventions in children with ASD. Mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random-effects models. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic. Risk of bias was evaluated with the Cochrane tool.
resultsFourteenth studies were included. Meta-analysis of 8 randomized trials found a small but significant effect of exercise on social communication (MD: 1.42, 95% CI: 0.21 to 2.6322, p = 0.02, I2 = 29%). The effect on social cognition was also significant (MD: 1.99, 95% CI: 0.18 to 3.80, p = 0.03, I2 = 0%). Influential analysis identified 2 studies as outliers. Leave-one-out analysis showed meta-analysis conclusions were robust. The included studies consistently demonstrated benefits of exercise on sleep, behavioral aspects, motor skills, quality of life, and other outcomes.
conclusionsThis meta-analysis provides evidence that exercise interventions may improve core symptoms and functional outcomes in children with ASD. However, small sample sizes and heterogeneity indicate cautious interpretation. Further adequately powered trials are needed to establish optimal exercise programs for managing ASD.
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