Effects of air pollutant exposure on lung function in exercisers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Effect of physical exercise in real-world settings on executive function of atypical children: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Impaired executive function is a core symptom of cognitive impairment in atypical children. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to explore the effectiveness of interventions for exercise in real-life settings on executive function in atypical children.

METHODS

This study searched the CNKI, Wan-Fang, VIP, WOS, PubMed, Scopus and EBSCO databases. Two researchers independently selected articles, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias for the included studies. Exercise activities were categorized into open and closed skills based on the unpredictability of the environmental context and into sequential and continuous skills based on the complexity of the movement structure. Based on these two classifications, motor skills were categorized into open-sequential (e.g. basketball), open-continuous (e.g. obstacle running), closed-sequential (e.g. martial arts) and closed-continuous (e.g. swimming) skills. The SPSS 25.0 and Stata 16.0 software were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 19 articles (23 studies) were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The participants were 990 atypical children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Physical exercise in real-world settings had significant intervention effects on inhibitory control (SMD = -0.592, P = 0.033), working memory (SMD = -0.473, P = 0.034) and cognitive flexibility (SMD = -0.793, P = 0.014) in atypical children. Quantitative intervention characteristics and motor skill types moderated the effect of exercise on promoting executive function in atypical children. Overall, exercise for 30-50 min, three to seven times a week for less than 10 weeks is effective in improving executive function in atypical children. Open skills and sequential skills have a positive intervention effect on more dimensions of executive function in atypical children.

CONCLUSIONS

Physical exercise in real-world settings has a positive intervention effect on executive function in atypical children. We should design interventions based on the personality traits of the subject and the type of exercise they are interested in to better promote improved executive function in atypical children.

Effects of open and closed skill exercise interventions on executive function in typical children: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The effects of open and closed skill exercise interventions for executive function in children and adolescents have received widespread attention. Open skill refers to the skill of performing motor tasks in an unpredictable environment; closed skill refers to the skill of performing motor tasks in a stable environment. However, the results of related studies are currently controversial and Meta-analysis is urgently needed.

METHODS

After computer searches of CNKI, Wan-Fang, VIP, WOS, PubMed, and EBSCO databases, two researchers independently screened articles, extracted information, and evaluated the quality of the articles. This study was statistical analyzed using Stata 16.0 software.

RESULTS

A total of 31 articles were included, including 2988 typical children. Open, closed, continuous and sequential skills all improved executive function in typical children to varying degrees, but open and sequential skills were more effective in improving executive function, particularly in the former in the working memory (SMD=-0.833, P < 0.001) and in the latter in the inhibitory control (SMD=-0.834, P < 0.001) and cognitive flexibility (SMD=-0.903, P < 0.001). Long-term, moderate- intensity interventions were better than acute, vigorous-intensity interventions for executive function, with long-term interventions reflected in working memory (SMD=-0.579, P < 0.001) and moderate-intensity interventions reflected in all three dimensions of executive function (P < 0.01). Intervention periods, intervention intensity and continuous and sequential skills classified by action structure play a significant moderating role. Better results for long-term, sequential structural action interventions based on open skills (P < 0.001); better results for acute, moderate intensity, sequential structural action interventions based on closed (P < 0.05). Whereas intervention intensity had a non-significant moderating effect in the open skills intervention, both moderate and vigorous intensity had a significant effect on executive function (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Open and closed skills have different levels of facilitation effects on executive function in typical children, but open skills are more effective. The facilitation effects of open and closed skills were moderated by the qualitative characteristics and action structure of the intervention.