Effects of physical activity interventions on cognitive and academic performance in chi... - 1 views
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it is critical to advance our understanding of opportunities that have the potential to positively influence brain development.
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PA is positively associated with cognition and with structural and functional brain health and a neutral association with academic performance for children. 12 Not all of these reviews were systematic,
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Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain posited PA-related effects on cognitive and academic performance. Regular PA alters neurogenesis and angiogenesis and enhances central nervous system metabolism. 20 Furthermore, it
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has been suggested that regular PA increases the availability of certain growth factors, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). All these systems and factors are involved with the maintenance and plasticity of the structure and function of the brain, 20 21 and thus with learning and memory
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The majority of the studies included in the current review assessed the effects of PA in children aged 6–12 years. Seven studies reported children aged 5 years or younger, 44 51 52 64 77 79 80 and 13 studies included youths (ie, older than 12 years) in their studies. 37 39 43
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The shortest intervention duration was 1 week, 54 62 79 and the longest spanned a period of 9 years.
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Stratifying the evidence synthesis at the level of outcome for academic performance we conclude that there is strong evidence for beneficial effects of PA on maths performance (beneficial effects on 86% of the outcomes), but inconclusive evidence for language performance (beneficial effect on 27% of the outcomes).
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Many studies applied interventions that were delivered 5 days a week (n=28). The lowest frequency was 1 43 44 and the highest frequency was 6 days per week. 36 65 Most studies (n=34) assessed the effects of PA consisting primarily of aerobic exercise.
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nine studies implemented more cognitively engaging PA, consisting of either coordinative exercise, 58 71 72 86 skill-based training, 69 motor skills training, 35 gesturing physical exercise, 52 perceptual motor training, 64 and motor-enriched learning activities. 73
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Six studies assessed the effects of motor demanding or cognitively engaging activities. 31 43 44 53 54 70 Three of these studies implemented PA games specifically tailored to challenge core executive functions in a gross-motor fashion. 43 44 54 The majority of studies implemented separate PA sessions, whereas 14 studies delivered physically active academic lessons. 42 48 51 62 66 77–80 83 85 87
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The intervention also showed small significant beneficial effects on attentional performance and impulse control after 1and 2 years, which were not sustained into the third year. After 9 years, children in the intervention group had significantly higher qualification scores for upper school
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Most studies reporting intervention effects on cognitive performance, assessed domains of executive functions (in particular inhibition, working memory , updating, attention, task switching, and planning), speed of information processing, fluid and crystallised intelligence.
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In particular, enhanced performance accuracy and increased P3 amplitude were observed in tasks requiring higher amounts of attention, inhibition and cognitive flexibility . T asks requiring less executive control were unaffected by the FITKids intervention.
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Subramanian et al 65 reported beneficial effects of structured PA versus unstructured physical and creative sedentary activities in 12- to 17-year-olds on tasks measuring attention, concentration, non-verbal fluency , and mental flexibility
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Although we found no evidence for beneficial effects on cognitive performance or overall academic performance, we found strong evidence for beneficial effects of PA on maths performance.
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Cognitive/academic performance can theoretically improve through biological or psychosocial pathways, 20 and an interplay between the two is possible and probable.
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beneficial effects on maths performance assessed intervention programmes with a minimal frequency of three sessions per week and a minimal programme duration of two school years.
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The study conclusions suggested that their findings provided evidence for a more efficient use of neural resources underlying executive functions after participation in PA interventions, reflected in enhanced neural activity in regions supporting attention and working memory functions. 49
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PA intervention may result in a more adult-like recruitment of prefrontal brain regions, which is important for many aspects of executive functions.
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To establish the effect of combining academic content and PA, there should be at least three groups: (a) the intervention group that combines PA with academic content; (b) the non-active control group that only receives the same academic content as the intervention group, but without PA; (c) the active control group that only receives the PA component.
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One high-quality study 54 suggested larger effects of coordinative or perceptual– motor forms of exercise on cognitive performance, particularly on executive functions, than aerobic exercise.
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V ariability of practice that is central to coordination and perceptual–motor exercise training, for example, may be an interface between motor and cognitive development promotion. 9
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Regarding moderators, it is likely that some children may benefit more from additional PA such as children with low PA levels or overweight children.
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Interrupting and limiting sedentary time with standing desks or short activity bouts may be more feasible in the school setting and, therefore, a promising form of intervention.
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Based on 11 high-quality intervention studies, we found inconclusive evidence of a beneficial effect of PA interventions on cognitive and overall academic performance in children. However, based on academic outcomes related to mathematics, we found strong evidence for beneficial effects of PA.