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
Open accessAbstract
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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In the citing paper
“Etnier and colleagues found a significant improvement in cognition as a function of physical-activity training. However, overall, no significant relationship was found between fitness change (or difference) and cognitive change (or difference).”
From Enrichment Effects on Adult Cognitive Development: Can the Functional Capacity of Older Adults Be Preserved and Enhanced? (2008) · cites this paper as Etnier, Nowell, Landers, and Sibley (2006)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredIn the citing paper
“A 2003 meta-analysis in children (aged 4–18 yrs) demonstrated a significant positive relationship between physical activity levels and perceptual skills, intelligence quotient, achievement, verbal tests, mathematic tests, developmental level/academic readiness, with only an effect on memory not found (172).”
From Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases (2012) · cites this paper as [172]
In the citing paper
“A meta-analysis was performed on 571 fitness effect sizes from 1306 subjects from 37 studies prior to 2005. Etnier et al. (172) concluded that the empirical literature did not support a relationship between aerobic fitness and cognitive performance.”
From Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases (2012) · cites this paper as [172]
In the citing paper
“Rather across the same 37 studies designed to test the effects of fitness on cognition, the summary statistic indicated that a positive association existed between physical activity and cognitive performance (172), confirming the findings of three previous meta-analytic reviews of this literature (108, 173, 473).”
From Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases (2012) · cites this paper as [172]
In the citing paper
“However, higher aerobic fitness levels in older women having the APOE4 genotype had better cognitive function in another cross-sectional study (171), suggesting that physical activity levels that are capable of increasing aerobic fitness are needed to improve cognitive function in those with APOE4 genotypes.”
From Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases (2012) · cites this paper as [171]
In the citing paper
“Some RCTs have stipulated that AE influences divergent cognitive domains, whereas others have suggested AE had no significant impact on cognition at all (Etnier et al., 2006; van Uffelen et al., 2008; Snowden et al., 2011; Gates et al., 2013; Kelly et al., 2014; Young et al., 2015).”
From Aerobic Exercise as a Tool to Improve Hippocampal Plasticity and Function in Humans: Practical Implications for Mental Health Treatment (2016) · cites this paper as Etnier et al., 2006
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Cites
Measuring inconsistency in meta-analyses
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Schmidt, F. L., & Hunter, J. E. (2015) · doi:10.4135/9781483398105 · Cited by 5,542
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Fitness Effects on the Cognitive Function of Older Adults: A Meta-Analytic Study
Colcombe, S., & Kramer, A. F. (2003) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1111/1467-9280.t01-1-01430 · Cited by 3,782
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 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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Janssen, I., & LeBlanc, A. G. (2010) · International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity · doi:10.1186/1479-5868-7-40 · Cited by 4,829
Be smart, exercise your heart: Exercise effects on brain and cognition
Hillman, C. H., Erickson, K. I., & Kramer, A. F. (2008) · Nature Reviews Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/nrn2298 · Cited by 3,563
Physical fitness in childhood and adolescence: a powerful marker of health
Ortega, F. B., Ruiz, J. R., Castillo, M. J., & Sjöstróm, M. (2007) · International Journal of Obesity · doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803774 · Cited by 2,885
Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases
Booth, F. W., Roberts, C. K., & Laye, M. J. (2012) · Comprehensive Physiology · doi:10.1002/cphy.c110025 · Cited by 2,575
Smith, P. J., Blumenthal, J. A., Hoffman, B. M., Cooper, H., Strauman, T. A., Welsh-Bohmer, K., Browndyke, J. N., & Sherwood, A. (2010) · Psychosomatic Medicine · doi:10.1097/psy.0b013e3181d14633 · Cited by 1,714
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.
- ORCID
- 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
- green
- libres.uncg.edu
- 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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