Table 1.
Summary of study characteristics and results of studies including acute effects of short-term physical activity programs.
| Study | Sample | Design and assessment | Intervention | Mean Age | N (% male) | Duration (min) | Outcome modality | Outcome measurements | Significant differences (>0.05) between physical activity and control sessions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chen et al. (2016) | Healthy children | Cross-over + post-intervention |
- Ergometer cycling (60−69% HRmax) - Sedentary rest session |
10 | 9 (55 %) | 35 | Brain function (MRI) | - Active-state fMRI: Left parietal cortex - Active-state fMRI: Right parietal cortex - Active-state fMRI: Left hippocampus - Active-state fMRI: Left cerebellum - Active-state fMRI: Right cerebellum - Working memory RT (N-back task) - Working memory accuracy (N-back task) |
> Increased activation after PA session* > Increased activation after PA session* > Increased activation after PA session* > Increased activation after PA session* > Increased activation after PA session* > Shorter RT (only in the 2-back condition) after the PA session > ns |
| Chu et al. (2017) | Healthy children | Cross-over + post- intervention |
- Treadmill running (65−75 HRR) - Reading session |
10.5 | 20 (100 %) | 30 | Brain function (EEG) | - P3 amplitude - Conflict SP amplitude - Reaction time (Stroop task) - Accuracy (Stroop task) |
> Greater P3 amplitudes after PA session > Smaller conflict SP amplitudes after the PA session* > Marginally shorter RT after the PA session (p = 0.057) > ns |
| Chuang et al. (2015) | ADHD | Cross-over + pre/post - intervention |
- Treadmill running (60 % HRR) - Video-watching |
9.4 | 19 (84 %) | 30 | Brain function (EEG) | - CNV 1 amplitude - CNV 2 amplitude - Motor inhibition RT (Go/No Go task) - Motor inhibition accuracy (Go/No Go task) |
> ns > Smaller frontal CNV 2 amplitudes for No Go Stimuli after the PA condition > Shorter RT after the PA session > ns |
| Hillman et al. (2009) | Healthy children | Cross-over + post - intervention | - Treadmill running (60 % HRmax) - Rest session |
9.6 | 20 (60 %) | 20 | Brain function (EEG) | - P3 amplitude - P3 latency - Inhibitory control RT (Flanker task) - Inhibitory control accuracy (Flanker task) - Reading comprehension (WRAT3) - Arithmetic (WRAT3) - Spelling (WRAT3) |
> Greater P3 amplitudes after the PA session* > ns* > ns > Improvement after the PA session > Improvement after the PA session > ns > ns |
| Huang et al. (2018) | ADHD | Cross-over + pre/post - intervention | - Treadmill running (65−75% HRR) - Video-watching |
9.5 | 24 (100 %) | 30 | Brain function (EEG) |
- Resting-state: Alpha power - Resting-state: Beta power - Resting-state: Theta power - Resting-state: Theta/alpha ratio - Resting-state: Theta/beta ratio |
> ns* > ns* > ns* > ns* > Lower theta/beta ratio after the PA condition* |
| Hung et al. (2016) | ADHD | Cross-over + post - intervention | - Treadmill running (50−70% HRR) - Video-watching |
10.2 | 34 (97 %) | 30 | Brain function (EEG) | - P3 amplitude (Global switching paradigm) - P3 amplitude (Local switching paradigm) - P3 latency (Global switching paradigm) - P3 latency (Local switching paradigm) - Working memory RT (Global switching paradigm) - Working memory accuracy (Global switching paradigm) - Inhibition RT (Local switching paradigm) - Inhibition accuracy (Local switching paradigm) |
> Greater P3 amplitudes during the trials that required working memory involvement after the PA session* > ns* > ns* > ns* > ns > ns > ns > ns |
| Lind et al. (2019) | Healthy | Cross-over + pre/post - intervention | - Football (70 – 100% HRR) - Walking football (60−80% HHR) - Football video watching group |
11.8 | 17 (n/a) 16 (n/a) 16 (n/a) |
20 | Brain function (EEG) | - P3 amplitude - P3 latency - Inhibitory control RT (Flanker task) - Inhibitory control accuracy (Flanker task) - Declarative memory (Visual memory task) |
> Greater P3 amplitudes at Fz in children performing football compared to walking football group and the control group* > ns* > Shorter RT the football condition compared to the walking football group > ns > ns |
| Mierau et al. (2014) | Healthy children | Cross-over + pre/post - intervention | - Movement games + soccer match (HR is not reported) - Rest session |
5.8 | 10 (100 %) | 45 | Brain function (EEG) | - Alpha-1 power (resting-state) - Beta-1 power (resting-state) - Beta-2 power (resting-state) - Alpha-1 power (active-state) - Beta-1 power (active-state) - Beta-2 power (active-state) - Attention RT (Determination test) - Attention accuracy (Determination test) |
> Increased alpha-1 power after the PA session > Decreased beta-1 power at frontal sites after the PA session > Decreased beta-2 power at frontal sites after the PA session > ns > Decreased beta-1 power at frontal sites after the PA session > Decreased beta-2 power at frontal and central sites after the PA session > ns > ns |
| Pontifex et al. (2013) | - ADHD (n = 20) - Healthy children (n = 20) |
Cross-over + post - intervention | - Treadmill running 65−75% HRmax - Sedentary reading session |
9.8 | 40 (70 %) | 20 | Brain function (EEG) | - P3 amplitude - P3 latency - ERN - Inhibitory control RT (Flanker task) - Inhibitory control accuracy (Flanker task) - Reading comprehension (WRAT3) - Arithmetic (WRAT3) - Spelling (WRAT3) |
> Greater P3 amplitudes after the PA session (ADHD + healthy children)* > Shorter P3 latencies after the PA session (ADHD + healthy children)* > ns > ns > Improvement in acc. after PA session (ADHD + healthy children) > Improvement in reading after PA session (ADHD + healthy children) > Improvement in arithmetic after PA session (ADHD + healthy children) > ns |
| Pontifex et al. (2018) | Healthy children | Cross-over + pre/post - intervention | - Treadmill running 70 % HRmax - Treadmill walking on the lowest possible intensity |
10.2 | 41 (56 %) | 20 | Cerebral blood flow (MRI) | > Cerebral blood flow | > ns |
| St Louis Deschenes et al. (2015) | Healthy children | Cross-over + post - intervention | -Ergometer cycling (50 % HRmax) -Sedentary session on ergometer |
10.4 | 32 (44 %) | 30 | Brain function (EEG) | - P3a amplitude - P3a latency - P3b amplitude - P3b latency - Attention accuracy (Oddball task) - Attention RT (Oddball task) |
> ns > ns > Greater P3b amplitudes after the PA session* > ns > ns > ns |
| Wollseiffen et al. (2018) | Healthy children | Cross-over + pre/post - intervention | - Aerobic exercise (HR is not reported) - Art class |
8−10 years | 16 (50 %) | 45 | Brain function (EEG) | - Cortical current density activity - Education attainment (VERA-3) - Working memory (MemoryMatrix) |
> Decreased activity after the PA session* > ns > ns |
Note. *, Measures are included in meta-analysis. The measures without an asterisk were not included in further meta-analysis because additional information was not available; Italicized measures are behavioral measures.
ADHD, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; CNV, contingent negative variation; CRN, Correct-related negativity; EEG, Electroencephalography; ERN, Error-related negativity; HR, heart rate; HRmax, predicted maximal heart rate; HRR, heart rate reserve; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; ns, not significant; PA, physical activity; RT, reaction time; WRAT3, Wide range Achievement Test 3rd edition.