SynthesisFrontiers in psychiatry2026
Effects of different physical activity modalities on executive function in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
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
Objective: This study systematically evaluated and compared the effects of different physical activity modalities on executive function, including inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and working memory, in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: Six databases (CNKI, Wanfang, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase) were searched for randomized controlled trials examining physical activity interventions for executive function in children with ADHD. Studies were screened using EndNote 21, methodological quality was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool, and meta-analyses were conducted in RevMan 5.4. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and publication bias was tested using Stata 19.0. Results: Twenty-one RCTs involving 915 participants were included. Physical activity significantly improved executive function in children with ADHD, with interventions lasting at least six weeks and delivered at moderate-to-vigorous intensity showing greater overall benefits. Open physical activities produced stronger improvements in inhibitory control (SMD = -0.81, 95% CI [-0.97, -0.52], P < 0.00001), whereas closed physical activities were more effective for cognitive flexibility (SMD = -0.61, 95% CI [-0.84, -0.38], P < 0.00001) and working memory (SMD = -0.45, 95% CI [-0.68, -0.23], P < 0.0001). Single aerobic activities showed better effects on inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility, while multi-component activities were more beneficial for working memory. By activity type, leisure-fitness activities had the strongest effect on inhibitory control, traditional aerobic activities such as running and cycling were most effective for cognitive flexibility, and ball sports showed superior effects on working memory. Conclusion: Structured physical activity is an effective non-pharmacological intervention for improving executive function in children with ADHD. Interventions lasting at least six weeks at moderate-to-vigorous intensity appear most beneficial. Different modalities may target distinct executive domains: open and leisure-fitness activities for inhibitory control, closed and aerobic activities for cognitive flexibility, and closed, multi-component, and ball-sport activities for working memory. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD420251080013.
Indexed as
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.