Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42181509›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in sports and active living2026

Impact of physical activity on cognitive function in long COVID patients: a cross-sectional observational study.

Samuel da Conceição Dummer, João Ismael Budelon Gonçalves, Fábio Jean Varella, Mariana Rache Zamin, Guilherme Kripka, Frederico Friedrich, Marcus Herbert Jones, Gabriela de Oliveira Centofante, Fernanda Noschang da Rocha Colcete, Jaderson Costa Da Costa and 1 more

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Article in Frontiers in sports and active living, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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.

Samuel da Conceição DummerBrain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
João Ismael Budelon GonçalvesBrain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Fábio Jean VarellaBrain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Mariana Rache ZaminBrain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Guilherme KripkaBrain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Frederico FriedrichGraduate Program in Medicine, Pediatrics and Child Health, Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Marcus Herbert JonesGraduate Program in Medicine, Pediatrics and Child Health, Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Gabriela de Oliveira CentofanteBrain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Fernanda Noschang da Rocha ColceteBrain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Jaderson Costa Da CostaBrain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Daniel Rodrigo MarinowicBrain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in long-term sequelae known as long COVID, which is often characterized by cognitive dysfunctions that impair quality of life. Evidence suggests that physical activity may mitigate these impairments through neurobiological mechanisms that enhance neuroplasticity and cerebral perfusion. Objective: This study examined the association between physical fitness and cognitive function in individuals who had recovered from COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted involving 34 adults who had been previously hospitalized for COVID-19. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R), while cardiorespiratory fitness was evaluated through VO₂ max testing. Correlation analyses and generalized linear models adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index were applied to examine associations between physical fitness and cognitive domains. Results: Participants had a mean age of 52 ± 12 years, a BMI of 28.7 ± 4.4 kg/m Discussion: Physical fitness was significantly associated with better cognitive performance in post-COVID-19 patients. These findings support the inclusion of structured exercise programs in rehabilitation strategies to mitigate the cognitive sequelae of long COVID and underscore the importance of promoting physical activity as a public health intervention.

Indexed as

cognitive functionlong covidphysical fitnesspost-COVID-19 abnormalitiesVO2 max

Identifiers

PMID42181509
PMCPMC13190602

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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.