The Effects of Mind-Body Exercise on Cognitive Function and Peripheral Blood BDNF in Elderly People With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Ni Dong, Bing Zeng, Qilong Wang et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis pooled 17 randomized controlled trials involving 1,251 older adults with mild cognitive impairment to assess mind-body exercise and cognition and peripheral blood BDNF. Compared with control conditions, mind-body exercise improved global cognitive function (SMD = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.55 to 1.09, p < 0.001), as well as verbal fluency, executive function, episodic memory, and short-term memory. Effects on processing speed/attention and BDNF were not significant. Subgroup analyses suggested greater benefits with Tai Chi-based interventions and, for verbal fluency, interventions lasting more than 12 weeks.
Key findings
- Global cognitive function improved with mind-body exercise (SMD = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.55 to 1.09, p < 0.001).
- Verbal fluency, executive function, episodic memory, and short-term memory also improved; working-memory results were not robust in sensitivity analysis.
- No significant effects were found for processing speed/attention (SMD = 0.12; 95% CI: -0.04 to 0.28; p = 0.131) or peripheral blood BDNF (SMD = 0.89; 95% CI: -0.12 to 1.89; p = 0.085).
- Subgroup analyses suggested greater benefits with Tai Chi-based interventions and for verbal fluency when intervention duration exceeded 12 weeks.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that mind-body exercise may support several cognitive domains in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, while not demonstrating clear effects on attention or peripheral BDNF. This distinction helps frame exercise as a potentially useful component of comprehensive care without assuming that all cognitive outcomes or proposed biological mechanisms are established.
What to keep in mind
Working-memory findings were not robust in sensitivity analysis, and the review found insufficient evidence for effects on processing speed/attention and peripheral blood BDNF.