Exercise and Cognitive Function: Advancing Evidence Synthesis with Umbrella Reviews

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

OBJECTIVE Exercise is recognized as a promising intervention for enhancing cognitive function. This mini-review aims to highlight the role of exercise in promoting cognitive performance, with a particular emphasis on umbrella reviews as an innovative evidence synthesis approach in this field.
METHODS This review narratively summarizes current evidence on the effects of acute and chronic exercise on cognitive function and emphasizes the methodology and application of selected umbrella reviews.
RESULTS Three umbrella reviews show that exercise improves cognitive function across age and clinical groups. Acute exercise yields small-to-medium cognitive benefits across domains, unaffected by age, fitness, cognitive status, or exercise characteristics; Specific exercise modalities enhance cognitive function across MCI, dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and post-stroke populations; and Exercise yields small cognitive benefits in depression, with a number needed to treat of 14.79.
CONCLUSIONS Umbrella reviews suggest cognitive benefits of exercise across different populations and point to the potential value of culturally embedded approaches. Future studies may consider combining umbrella reviews with individual participant data analyses to refine the recommendations for cognitive health.