Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chines University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.
Faculty of Physical Education, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2021 May 22;18(1):68. doi: 10.1186/s12966-021-01135-6.
Previous studies found that exercise interventions have positive effects on executive functions of the general population. However, studies seldom target executive functions of children and adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study aimed to synthesise empirical studies regarding the effects of exercise interventions on executive functions of children and adolescents with ADHD.
A systematic search of the relevant literature was conducted in March 2020 through six electronic databases: CINAHL Complete, Eric, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, SPORTDiscus with Full Text, and Web of Science. Randomised controlled trials/quasi-experimental designs that applied exercise interventions and assessed executive functions through neurocognitive tasks among children and adolescents with ADHD were included. Altogether, 314 studies were identified, from which 31 full texts were independently assessed by two authors for eligibility. Finally, 21 studies underwent systematic reviews and 15 were selected for meta-analysis. Data extraction procedures and risk of bias analysis were conducted by two independent authors using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale.
The findings indicated that exercise interventions improved overall executive functions of children and adolescents with ADHD (SMD = 0.611, 95% CI [0.386 to 0.836], p < 0.01). Exercise interventions had a moderate-to-large positive effect on inhibitory control (g = 0.761, 95% CI [0.376 to 1.146], p < 0.01) and cognitive flexibility (g = 0.780, 95% CI [0.331 to 1.228], p < 0.001). Likewise, during the subgroup analysis, intervention intensity and sessions of exercise (acute vs chronic) significantly moderated exercise intervention rather than intervention type.
Chronic sessions of exercise interventions with moderate intensity should be incorporated as treatment for children with ADHD to promote executive functions.
先前的研究发现，运动干预对普通人群的执行功能有积极影响。然而，针对患有注意缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）的儿童和青少年的执行功能的研究却很少。本研究旨在综合有关运动干预对患有 ADHD 的儿童和青少年的执行功能影响的实证研究。
2020 年 3 月，通过 CINAHL Complete、Eric、MEDLINE、PsychINFO、SPORTDiscus with Full Text 和 Web of Science 这六个电子数据库进行了系统的文献检索。纳入了应用运动干预并通过神经认知任务评估 ADHD 儿童和青少年执行功能的随机对照试验/准实验设计。总共确定了 314 项研究，其中 31 篇全文由两位作者独立评估是否符合入选标准。最后，有 21 项研究进行了系统评价，其中 15 项研究进行了荟萃分析。两位作者使用物理治疗证据数据库（PEDro）量表进行数据提取程序和偏倚风险分析。
研究结果表明，运动干预改善了 ADHD 儿童和青少年的整体执行功能（SMD=0.611，95%CI[0.386 至 0.836]，p<0.01）。运动干预对抑制控制（g=0.761，95%CI[0.376 至 1.146]，p<0.01）和认知灵活性（g=0.780，95%CI[0.331 至 1.228]，p<0.001）具有中等至较大的积极影响。同样，在亚组分析中，干预强度和运动干预的疗程（急性与慢性）显著调节了运动干预，而不是干预类型。
应将中等强度的慢性运动干预纳入 ADHD 儿童的治疗中，以促进执行功能。
