Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41566095›Full record

Observational studyAging clinical and experimental research2026

The impact of balance exercise on brain age and brain morphometry: insights from MRI analysis.

Varima Narula, Denise Taylor, Ruth McLaren, Rachael L Taylor, Susan Mahon, Paul F Smith, Shikha Chaudhary, Roger W Winton, Justin Fernandez, Vickie Shim and 1 more

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Aging clinical and experimental research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

11 authors.

Varima NarulaAuckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Denise TaylorHealth and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
Ruth McLarenHealth and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
Rachael L TaylorDepartment of Physiology and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Susan MahonTraumatic Brain Injury Network, Auckland University of Technology, Northcote, Auckland, New Zealand.
Paul F SmithDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Shikha ChaudharyHealth and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
Roger W WintonFaculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Eisdell Moore Centre for Hearing and Balance Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Justin FernandezAuckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Vickie ShimAuckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Alan WangAuckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. alan.wang@auckland.ac.nz.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Physical exercise is known to delay the cognitive decline in the elderly. However, the effect of low-impact balance exercises such as yoga or Tai chi has not been explored in detail. This cross-sectional observational study used brain magnetic resonance imaging data to quantify and compare various brain structures between neurologically healthy adults aged between 55 and 65, divided into Control Group and Balance Exercise (BE) Group based on the self-reported balance exercise status. Various brain attributes such as brain age, cortical and subcortical volume, thickness, surface area, and mean curvature were extracted and computed using machine learning algorithm software like brainageR and FreeSurfer. Clinical functional assessments (balance, vestibular and cognitive measures) were also conducted for the participants. Statistical analyses were performed to determine any differences between the groups at a significance level of 5%. The BE group showed statistically significantly higher values for the right caudal anterior cingulate thickness, left and right superior temporal volume, left entorhinal volume and mean curvature, left frontal pole thickness, left superior temporal area and left inferior temporal thickness. A statistically significant cluster after correction for multiple comparisons was found in the left rostral middle frontal gyrus with a higher volume for BE group. Clinical functional assessments (balance, vestibular and cognitive) and brain age differences were nonsignificant. The significant brain regions in the BE group are involved in memory, cognition, focus, planning, language and auditory processing, decision making, emotional regulation and mental health and could be responsible for protecting and delaying the cognitive declines in the elderly.

Indexed as

AgingBrainExerciseMagnetic Resonance ImagingPostural BalanceAgedCognitionCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedBalance exerciseBrain ageBrain MRIBrain volumeFreesurfer

Identifiers

PMID41566095
PMCPMC12886376

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.