Cited by 753Physical Activity and HealthCardiovascular and exercise physiologyCognitive Abilities and Testing

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 92 of the 92 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

A meta-regression to examine the relationship between aerobic fitness and cognitive performance

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Abstract

Many studies have been conducted to test the potentially beneficial effects of physical activity on cognition. The results of meta-analytic reviews of this literature suggest that there is a positive association between participation in physical activity and cognitive performance. The design of past research demonstrates the tacit assumption that changes in aerobic fitness contribute to the changes in cognitive performance. Therefore, the purpose of this meta-analysis was to use meta-regression techniques to statistically test the relationship between aerobic fitness and cognitive performance. Results indicated that there was not a significant linear or curvilinear relationship between fitness effect sizes (ESs) and cognitive ESs for studies using cross-sectional designs or posttest comparisons. However, there was a significant negative relationship between aerobic fitness and cognitive performance for pre-post comparisons. The effects for the cross-sectional and pre-post comparisons were moderated by the age group of the participants; however, the nature of this effect was not consistent for the two databases. Based on the findings of this meta-analytic review, it is concluded that the empirical literature does not support the cardiovascular fitness hypothesis. To confirm the findings of this review, future research should specifically test the dose-response relationship between aerobic fitness and cognitive performance. However, based upon the findings of this review, we also encourage future research to focus on other physiological and psychological variables that may serve to mediate the relationship between physical activity and cognitive performance.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.brainresrev.2006.01.002

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  1. Palmer, A., 1995. The effect of an aerobic exercise program on cognitive ability and creativity in senior citizens. Doctoral Dissertation, Educational Leadership, Florida State University, Jacksonville, FL.

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Metadata

Authors
Etnier, J. L., Nowell, P. M., Landers, D. M., & Sibley, B. A.
Affiliations
  • University of North Carolina at Greensboro (US)
  • Arizona State University (US)
  • Miami University (US)
Corresponding author
Etnier, Jennifer L.
Venue
Brain Research Reviews
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2006-08
Volume
52
Issue
1
Pages
119-130
ISSN
0165-0173 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2071762564
Cited by
749
References
85
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 39 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 52 · 2019: 52 · 2018: 44 · 2017: 54 · 2016: 49 · 2015: 55 · 2014: 54 · 2013: 56 · 2012: 56
FWCI
12.52
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Brain Research Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • NC Digital Online Collection of Knowledge and Scholarship (The University of North Carolina at Greensboro) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Physical Activity and Health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
Keywords
cardiorespiratory fitness, cognitive performance, physical activity, exercise and cognition, age differences, pre-post test comparison, cross-section design, dose-response relationship
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Child, Child, Preschool, Cognition, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Regression Analysis, Retrospective Studies, Exercise

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