The role of cognitive elements plays in physical activity interventions among individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review of brain evidence

Fang, Y, Sun, F, Wang, Z, Yang, Y, Lau, M, Huang, K, Yeung, MK-C, Cooper, SB ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5219-5020 and Chen, Y, 2025. The role of cognitive elements plays in physical activity interventions among individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review of brain evidence. Brain Imaging and Behavior. ISSN 1931-7557

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Abstract

Physical activity (PA) with cognitive elements has received significant attention in recent years because it has been shown to have a large effect on increasing executive function in individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, the mechanisms underpinning these effects are poorly understood. Therefore, this study systematically reviewed and summarized the brain outcomes of individuals with ADHD who completed either traditional intervention—PA alone, cognitive training (CT)-alone—or their combination in two forms—dual task of CT and PA (CT-PA) and cognitive-engaged PA (CE-PA). An extensive search on 13 online databases was conducted to identify eligible studies. Assessment indicated a relatively high quality demonstrated by 27 included studies. A total of 632 children/adolescents and 80 adults with diverse ADHD subtypes, symptom severity, and/or medication status participated in the reviewed interventions. Included interventions also varied largely in modality and volume. Nonetheless, changes in brain structure and function appeared to occur following these interventions in individuals with ADHD, including a prevalent increase in brain activity across the frontal lobe, a positive effect on brain volume (including in the frontal cortex and cerebellum), and an enhancement of particular brain networks related to inhibitory control, attention, and processing. With these tending, it elicits a rehabilitation towards normalization. The limited data preliminarily indicated a possible synergetic effect of CT/CE-PA; However, further research is warranted to obtain a comprehensive appraisal and establish a mechanistic model in terms of brain activity, morphology, and network connectivity.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Brain Imaging and Behavior
Creators:	Fang, Y., Sun, F., Wang, Z., Yang, Y., Lau, M., Huang, K., Yeung, M.K.-C., Cooper, S.B. and Chen, Y.
Publisher:	Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date:	30 May 2025
ISSN:	1931-7557
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1007/s11682-025-01027-4 DOI 2448662 Other
Rights:	This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11682-025-01027-4
Divisions:	Schools > School of Science and Technology
Record created by:	Laura Borcherds
Date Added:	24 Jun 2025 16:47
Last Modified:	24 Jun 2025 16:47
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/53794

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