Aerobic exercises for cognition rehabilitation following stroke: a systematic review
Abstract
Background Cognitive impairments are highly prevalent in stroke survivors and can substantially affect their physical rehabilitation and quality of life. The management of these impairments currently remains limited, but increasing studies reported the effect of aerobic exercise on cognitive performance in patients suffering from stroke. The purpose of this review was to assess the effects of aerobic exercise on cognitive function following stroke.Methods Seven electronic databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI], Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database [VIP], Wanfang, China Biology Medicine disc [CBM], Science Citation Index [SCI], EMBASE, and PubMed) were searched from their inception to May 31, 2015, for the effects of aerobic exercise on cognitive ability compared to usual physical activity in stroke survivors. RevMan V5.3 (The Nordic Cochrane Centre) was used to analyze the data and to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies.Results Ten eligible studies including 394 participants were identified. Six studies showed that aerobic exercise significantly improved global cognitive ability in stroke survivors. Four studies reported aerobic exercise to be beneficial in improving memory, but only one showed statistical significance. Two studies investigated the effects of aerobic exercise on attention, and one showed a significant improvement. One study reported a significant benefit of aerobic exercise on visuospatial ability in stroke survivors. No adverse events were reported in the included studies.Conclusions Aerobic exercise may have a positive effect on improving global cognitive ability and a potential benefit on memory, attention, and the visuospatial domain of cognition in stroke survivors. However, further large, rigorously designed trials are needed to confirm these findings.
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In patients with acute and chronic stroke, physical activity improves global cognition, attention, memory, and visuospatial abilities.
“In patients with both acute and chronic stroke, PA improves global cognition, attention, memory, and visuospatial abilities (53, 64).”
From Physical Activity, Cognition, and Brain Outcomes: A Review of the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines (2019) · cites this paper as [53]
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Physical Activity, Cognition, and Brain Outcomes: A Review of the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines
ERICKSON, K. I., HILLMAN, C., STILLMAN, C. M., BALLARD, R. M., BLOODGOOD, B., CONROY, D. E., MACKO, R., MARQUEZ, D. X., PETRUZZELLO, S. J., & POWELL, K. E. (2019) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/mss.0000000000001936 · Cited by 1,214 · see citing works
Physical fitness training for stroke patients
Saunders, D. H., Sanderson, M., Hayes, S., Kilrane, M., Greig, C. A., Brazzelli, M., & Mead, G. E. (2016) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd003316.pub6 · Cited by 759 · see citing works
- Authors
- Zheng, G., Zhou, W., Xia, R., Tao, J., & Chen, L.
- Affiliations
- Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences (CN)
- Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Chen, Lidian
- Venue
- Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2016-11
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 2780-2789
- ISSN
- 1052-3057 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2516834028
- Cited by
- 111
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 1.47
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
- Keywords
- aerobic exercise, stroke, cognitive rehabilitation, cognitive impairment, memory, attention, visuospatial ability, global cognitive function, stroke survivors
- MeSH terms
- Stroke Rehabilitation, Attention, Cognition, Cognition Disorders, Exercise Therapy, Humans, Memory, Space Perception, Visual Perception, Treatment Outcome, Recovery of Function, Stroke
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