The effect of exercise training on cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Abstract
Objectives Investigations of exercise and cognition have primarily focused on healthy or demented older adults, and results have been equivocal in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Our aim was to evaluate efficacy of exercise on cognition in older adults with MCI.Design We conducted a meta-analysis of random controlled trials (RCTs) of exercise effects on cognitive outcomes in adults with MCI. Searches were conducted in Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PEDro, SPORTSDICUS, PsychInfo, and PubMed.Participants Adults aged over 65 years with MCI or Mini-Mental State Exam mean score 24-28 inclusive.Measurements Study quality was assessed using the PEDro scale; data on participant and intervention characteristics and outcomes were extracted, followed by meta-analysis.Results Fourteen RCTs (1,695 participants; age 65-95 years) met inclusion criteria. Quality was modest and under-powering for small effects prevalent. Overall, 42% of effect sizes (ESs) were potentially clinically relevant (ES >0.20) with only 8% of cognitive outcomes statistically significant. Meta-analysis revealed negligible but significant effects of exercise on verbal fluency (ES: 0.17 [0.04, 0.30]). No significant benefit was found for additional executive measures, memory, or information processing. Overall results were inconsistent with benefits varying across exercise types and cognitive domains.Conclusions There is very limited evidence that exercise improves cognitive function in individuals with MCI, although published research is of moderate quality and inconclusive due to low statistical power. Questions remain regarding the magnitude, generalization, persistence, and mechanisms of benefits. Large-scale, high-quality RCTs are required to determine if exercise improves cognition or reduces dementia incidence in those with MCI.
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Meta-analyses have found aerobic exercise interventions improve cognitive performance in older individuals with mild cognitive impairments or dementia.
“as well as in older individuals with mild cognitive impairments or dementia (Heyn et al., 2004; van Uffelen et al., 2008; Gates et al., 2013).”
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 Gates et al., 2013
Some randomized controlled trials have suggested aerobic exercise had no significant impact on cognition at all.
“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 Gates et al., 2013
Higher levels of aerobic fitness have been correlated with larger hippocampal volumes in patients with obesity, anorexia, mild cognitive impairments, major depressive disorder, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis.
“Cross-sectional data has also indicated that AE may also be beneficial to non-healthy individuals as higher levels of aerobic fitness have also been correlated with larger hippocampal volumes in patients with obesity (Bugg et al., 2012), anorexia (Beadle et al., 2015), mild cognitive impairments (Gates et al., 2013; Makizako et al., 2014), MDD (Travis et al., 2015), Alzheimer’s disease (Honea et”
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 Gates et al., 2013
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“…et al., 1997; Colcombe and Kramer, 2003; Angevaren et al., 2008; van Uffelen et al., 2008; Smith et al., 2010; Snowden et al., 2011; Chang et al., 2012), as well as in older individuals with mild cognitive impairments or dementia (Heyn et al., 2004; van Uffelen et al., 2008; Gates et al., 2013).”
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- Authors
- Gates, N., Fiatarone Singh, M. A., Sachdev, P. S., & Valenzuela, M.
- Affiliations
- UNSW Sydney (AU)
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- Venue
- The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-11
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 1086-1097
- ISSN
- 1064-7481 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1976680102
- Cited by
- 355
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 43 · 2021: 35 · 2020: 38 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 39 · 2017: 32 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 26 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 7
- FWCI
- 3.43
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
- Keywords
- exercise training, mild cognitive impairment, cognitive function, older adults, verbal fluency, executive function, memory, dementia prevention, physical activity
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cognition, Exercise Therapy, Female, Humans, Male, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Cognitive Dysfunction
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