Body-Brain-Mind Laboratory, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Research Group Degenerative and Chronic Diseases, Movement, Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, University of Potsdam, Potsdam 14476, Germany.
Body-Brain-Mind Laboratory, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Research Group Degenerative and Chronic Diseases, Movement, Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, University of Potsdam, Potsdam 14476, Germany.
J Sport Health Sci. 2023 Sep;12(5):568-591. doi: 10.1016/j.jshs.2023.04.003. Epub 2023 May 5.
There is a growing interest to understand the neurobiological mechanisms that drive the positive associations of physical activity and fitness with measures of cognitive performance. To better understand those mechanisms, several studies have employed eye-based measures (e.g., eye movement measures such as saccades, pupillary measures such as pupil dilation, and vascular measures such as retinal vessel diameter) deemed to be proxies for specific neurobiological mechanisms. However, there is currently no systematic review providing a comprehensive overview of these studies in the field of exercise-cognition science. Thus, this review aimed to address that gap in the literature.
To identify eligible studies, we searched 5 electronic databases on October 23, 2022. Two researchers independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias using a modified version of the Tool for the assEssment of Study qualiTy and reporting in EXercise (TESTEX scale, for interventional studies) and the critical appraisal tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute (for cross-sectional studies).
Our systematic review (n = 35 studies) offers the following main findings: (a) there is insufficient evidence available to draw solid conclusions concerning gaze-fixation-based measures; (b) the evidence that pupillometric measures, which are a proxy for the noradrenergic system, can explain the positive effect of acute exercise and cardiorespiratory fitness on cognitive performance is mixed; (c) physical training- or fitness-related changes of the cerebrovascular system (operationalized via changes in retinal vasculature) are, in general, positively associated with cognitive performance improvements; (d) acute and chronic physical exercises show a positive effect based on an oculomotor-based measure of executive function (operationalized via antisaccade tasks); and (e) the positive association between cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive performance is partly mediated by the dopaminergic system (operationalized via spontaneous eye-blink rate).
This systematic review offers confirmation that eye-based measures can provide valuable insight into the neurobiological mechanisms that may drive positive associations between physical activity and fitness and measures of cognitive performance. However, due to the limited number of studies utilizing specific methods for obtaining eye-based measures (e.g., pupillometry, retinal vessel analysis, spontaneous eye blink rate) or investigating a possible dose-response relationship, further research is necessary before more nuanced conclusions can be drawn. Given that eye-based measures are economical and non-invasive, we hope this review will foster the future application of eye-based measures in the field of exercise-cognition science.
越来越多的人希望了解驱动身体活动和健康与认知表现之间积极关联的神经生物学机制。为了更好地理解这些机制，一些研究采用了被认为是特定神经生物学机制的替代指标的基于眼部的测量方法（例如，眼动测量，如扫视；瞳孔测量，如瞳孔扩张；以及血管测量，如视网膜血管直径）。然而，目前尚无系统综述全面概述运动认知科学领域中的这些研究。因此，本综述旨在填补这一文献空白。
为了确定合格的研究，我们于 2022 年 10 月 23 日在 5 个电子数据库中进行了检索。两位研究人员独立提取数据，并使用经过修改的工具评估研究质量和报告的工具（EXercise 中的评估工具，TESTEX 量表，用于干预性研究）和乔安娜·布里格斯研究所的批判性评估工具（用于横断面研究）评估偏倚风险。
我们的系统综述（n=35 项研究）提供了以下主要发现：（a）关于注视点固定测量，目前尚无确凿结论的充分证据；（b）瞳孔测量，这是去甲肾上腺素能系统的替代指标，其可以解释急性运动和心肺适能对认知表现的积极影响的证据是混杂的；（c）一般来说，与身体训练或健康相关的脑血管系统变化（通过视网膜血管变化来操作）与认知表现的改善呈正相关；（d）急性和慢性运动都显示出基于执行功能的眼动（通过反扫视任务操作）的基于眼球运动的测量的积极效果；（e）心肺适能与认知表现之间的正相关部分由多巴胺能系统介导（通过自发眨眼率操作）。
本系统综述证实，基于眼部的测量方法可以为理解可能驱动身体活动和健康与认知表现之间积极关联的神经生物学机制提供有价值的见解。然而，由于利用特定方法获取基于眼部的测量（例如，瞳孔测量、视网膜血管分析、自发眨眼率）或调查可能的剂量反应关系的研究数量有限，在得出更精细的结论之前，还需要进一步的研究。鉴于基于眼部的测量经济且无创，我们希望本综述将促进基于眼部的测量在运动认知科学领域的未来应用。
