Table 1 Basic characteristics of the included studies
Included studies | Study design | Participants’ characteristics (sample size / age / F%) | Interventions | Controls | Outcome variables | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Test group | Control group | Inhibitory control | Working memory | Cognitive flexibility | ||||
Niemann et al. [41], 2013 | RCT | 27/9.7 ± 0.4y/NC | 15/9.7 ± 0.5y/NC | 12 min high intensity (85–90% HRmax) track and field running (II, III) | Sedentary | d2-test (T>C) | NC | NC |
Palmer et al. [42], 2013 | RCD | 16/49.4 ± 5.3 m/18.8% | NC | 30 min passing, dribbling and throwing activities (I, IV) | Sedentary | PDTP (T = C) | NC | NC |
Yan et al. [34], 2014 | RCT | T1 = 52/9.8 ± 0.3y/53.8% T2 = 51/9.7 ± 0.3y/49.0% | 51/9.8 ± 0.3y/49.0% | 30 min moderate intensity (60–69% HRmax) aerobics (II, IV) (T1) vs. obstacle run (I, III) (T2) | Sedentary | Flanker (T1>T2>C) | 1-back (T1>T2>C) | More-odd shifting (T2>T1>C) |
Chen et al. [32], 2014a | RCT | T1 = 30/9.8 ± 0.3y/50.0% T2 = 30/9.8 ± 0.3y/53.3% T3 = 32/9.7 ± 0.3y/46.9% | 28/9.8 ± 0.3y/50.0% | 30 min low intensity (50–59% HRmax) basketball dribbling (I, IV) (T1) vs. moderate intensity (60–69% HRmax) (T2) vs. vigorous intensity (70–79% HR max) (T3) | Free activities in their classroom | Flanker (T2>T1 = T3>C) | 1-back (T2 = T3>T1 = C) | More-odd shifting (T2>T3 = C>T1) |
Chen et al. [43], 2014b | RCT | 44/3 ~ 5 g/47.7% | 38/3 ~ 5 g/55.3% | 30 min moderate intensity (60–70% HRmax) track and field group run (II, III) | Sedentary reading | Flanker (T>C) | 2-back (T>C) | More-odd shifting (T>C) |
Chen et al. [44], 2015a | RCT | T1 = 39/9.1 ± 0.3y/48.7% T2 = 38/9.1 ± 0.3y/44.7% | 38/9.2 ± 0.4y/77.7% | 30 min moderate intensity (60–69% HRmax) cooperative rope skipping (I, III) (T1) vs. single rope skipping (II, III) | Sedentary reading | Flanker (T1>T2>C) | 1-back (T1>T2>C) | More-odd shifting (T1>T2>C) |
Chen et al. [45], 2015b | RCT | 24/9.5 ± 0.3y/NC | 22/9.5 ± 0.3y/NC | 30 min moderate intensity (60 ~ 69% HRmax) basketball dribbling (I, IV) | Free activities in the classroom | Flanker (T1>T2>C) | 1-back (T1>T2>C) | More-odd shifting (T1>T2>C) |
Jäger et al. [46], 2015 | RCT | T1 = 54/134.6 ± 6.6 m/64.8% T2 = 62/135.3 ± 6.5 m/45.2% | 58/135.8 ± 6.3 m/56.9% | 20 min moderate intensity (70% HRmax) cognitive involvement skill games (I, IV) (T1) vs. aerobic exercise without cognitive involvement (II, III) (T2) | Sedentary exercise without cognitive involvement | Flanker (T1 = T2 = C) | 1-back (T1 = T2 = C) | More-odd shifting (T1 = T2 = C) |
Gallotta et al. [47], 2015 | RCT | T1 = 31/8 ~ 11y/NC T2 = 46/8 ~ 11y/NC | 39/8 ~ 11y/NC | 50 min brisk walking, jogging, jumping (II, III) (T1) vs. basketball skills learning (I, IV) (T2) | Basic academic programme | d2-test (T2>T1>C) | NC | NC |
Cooper et al. [48], 2016 | RCD | 12.6 ± 0.6/52.3% | NC | 10 min high intensity interval sprint (II, III) | Sedentary | Stroop (T>C) | Corsi blocks test (T = C) | DSST (T = C) |
Stein et al. [49], 2017 | RCT | 48/72.2 ± 5.2 m/50.0% | 53/72.3 ± 6.9 m/52.8% | 20 min motor skill learning based on coordination of both sides of the body (II, IV) | Board game | Simon-says task (T>C) Hearts-and-Flowers task- inconsistent tasks (T = C) | NC | Hearts-and-Flowers task- mixed tasks (T = C) |
O’Brien et al. [39], 2021 | RCT | T1 = 16/7.0 ± 0.5y/0.0% T2 = 16/6.7 ± 0.1y/0.0% | 19/7.0 ± 0.5y/0.0% | 30 min Open skills activities such as basketball, football, tennis (I, IV) (T1) vs. Closed skills activities such as racing, skipping (II, III) (T2) | Classroom activities | NC | Backward Digit Span (T1>T2>C) Corsi blocks test (T1 = T2 = C) Motor span task (T2>T1>C) | NC |
Lakes et al. [50], 2004 | RCT | 207/kindergarten to grade five/NC | 12 weeks martial arts (II, IV) intervention, 2–3 times/week, 45 min/time (T) | Traditional physical education course | NC | Digit Span (T1 = T2 = C) | NC | |
Chang et al. [51], 2013 | QED | T1 = 13/7.2 ± 0.3/46.2% T2 = 13/7.0 ± 0.3/53.9% | NC | 8 weeks low intensity (40–50% HRmax) football study (I, IV), 2 times/week, 35 min/time (T1) vs. moderate intensity (60–70% HRmax) (T2) | NC | Flanker (T1 = T2) | NC | NC |
Lakes et al. [52], 2013 | RCT | 50/12.2y/52.00% | 31/12.3y/48.00% | 36 weeks taekwondo (I, IV), 2 times/ week, 45 min/time | Traditional physical education course | Hearts-and-Flowers task- inconsistent tasks (T = C) | NC | Hearts-and-Flowers task- mixed tasks (T = C) |
Telles et al. [53], 2013 | RCT | T1 = 49/10.4 ± 1.2y/30.6% T2 = 49/10.5 ± 1.3y/46.9% | NC | 12 weeks yoga (II, IV), 5 times/week, 45 min/time (T1) vs. jogging, sprint running, relay races, bending, side bending, twisting (II, III) | NC | Stroop (T1>T2) | NC | NC |
Crova et al. [54], 2014 | RCT | 37/9.6 ± 0.5y/46.0% | 33/9.6 ± 0.5y/54.6% | 21 weeks moderate intensity (150.5 ± 6.4 bpm) tennis (I, IV), 1 time/week, 120 min/time | Traditional physical education course | RNG-inhibition of average index (T>C) | RNG-updating of average index (T = C) | NC |
Yin et al. [55], 2014 | RCT | 326/grade three to five/ 47.9% | 20 weeks moderate intensity (120–140 bpm) martial arts + rope skipping + Fig. 8 running (II), 3 times/week, 30 min/time (T1) vs. figure running (I, III), 5 times/week (T2) | Blank control | Flanker (T1>T2 = C) | 2-back (T2>T1>C) | More-odd shifting (T1 = T2>C) | |
Jiang et al. [56], 2015 | RCT | 31/5 ~ 6y/NC | 30/5 ~ 6y/NC | 8 weeks moderate intensity (60–70% HRmax) football games (I, IV), 2 times/week, 35 min/time | Blank control | Panda-Lion task (T>C) Snow-Green Grass task (T>C) | Corsi blocks test (T = C) Reverse Corsi blocks test (T = C) | Flexible project selection task (T = C) |
Schmidt et al. [57], 2015 | RCT | T1 = 69/11.3 ± 0.6y/62.3% T2 = 57/11.3 ± 0.6y/50.9% | 55/11.4 ± 0.6y/49.1% | 6 weeks vigorous intensity soft hockey and basketball games (I, IV), 2 times/week, 45 min/time (T1) vs. 200 m round trip run (II, III) (T2) | Traditional physical education course | Flanker (T1>T2 = C) | 2-back (T1>T2 = C) | More-odd shifting (T1>T2 = C) |
Chen et al. [58], 2016 | RCT | 20/11.4 ± 0.6y/NC | 20/11.3 ± 06y/NC | 8 weeks moderate intensity (60–69% HRmax) physical and mental exercise exercises (II, IV), 3 times/week, 40 min/time | Regular academic life | Flanker (T = C) | 1-back (T>C) | More-odd shifting (T>C) |
Pan et al. [59], 2016 | RCT | 25/12.0 ± 0.6y/NC | 23/12.0 ± 0.6y/NC | 10 weeks moderate intensity (60–69% HRmax) basketball intervention (I, IV), 3 times/week, 30 min/time | Traditional physical education course | Flanker (T>C) | 1-back (T>C) | More-odd shifting (T>C) |
Alesi et al. [40], 2016 | QED | 24/8.8 ± 1.1y/0.0% | 20/9.3 ± 0.9y/0.0% | 24-week football intervention (I, IV), 2 times/week, 75 min/time | Traditional physical education course | NC | Forward Digit Span (T = C) Backward Digit Span (T = C) Corsi blocks test (T>C) | NC |
Pesce et al. [25], 2016 | RCT | 232/5 ~ 10y/50.4% | 228/5 ~ 10y/49.6% | 24 weeks moderate intensity (131.9 ± 17.4 bpm) motor coordination and cognitive engagement based skill games (I, IV), 1 time/week, 60 min/time | Traditional physical education course | RNG-inhibition of average index (T>C) | RNG-updating of average index (T = C) | NC |
Chen et al. [60], 2017 | RCT | 21/9.4 ± 0.5y/47.6% | 20/9.2 ± 0.4y/50.0% | 8 weeks moderate intensity (60–69% HRmax) football intervention (I, IV), 2 times/week, 40 min/time | Traditional physical education course | Flanker (T>C) | 1-back (T>C) | More-odd shifting (T>C) |
Yin et al. [61], 2017 | RCT | 26/4 g/NC | 21/4 g/NC | 16 weeks moderate intensity (60–69% HRmax) basketball intervention (I, IV), 3 times/week, 30 min/time | Blank control | Flanker (T>C) | 1-back (T>C) | More-odd shifting (T>C) |
Cho et al. [62], 2017 | RCT | 15/11.2 ± 0.8y/40.0% | 15/11.3 ± 0.7y/40.0% | 16 weeks moderate intensity (RPE = 11–15) taekwondo intervention (I, IV), 5 times/week, 60 min/time | Blank control | Stroop (T>C) | NC | NC |
Dai [63], 2020 | QED | 46/10.5 ± 0.3y/NC | 43/10.4 ± 0.3y/NC | 24 weeks moderate intensity (60–69% HRmax) football intervention (I, IV), 5 times/week, 120 min/time | Blank control | Flanker (T>C) | 2-back (T>C) | Salthouse (T>C) |
Lai et al. [64], 2020 | RCT | 10/5 ~ 7y/50.0% | 10/5 ~ 7y/50.0% | 8 weeks moderate intensity (60–69% HRmax) tennis intervention (I, IV), 2 times/week, 60 min/time | Basic academic course | NC | 1-back (T>C) | NC |
Oppici et al. [65], 2020 | RCT | T1 = 30/8.8 ± 0.5y/62.0% T2 = 30/8.7 ± 0.7y/59.0% | 20/8.9 ± 0.7y/63.0% | 7 weeks high cognitive dance exercise, 2 times/week, 60 min/time (II, IV) (T1) vs. low cognitive dance exercise (II, IV) (T2) | Blank control | Flanker (T = C) | List Sorting Working Memory test (T = C) | Dimensional Change Card Sort test (T = C) |
Ma et al. [66], 2022 | QED | 40/9.2 ± 0.3y/NC | 40/9.2 ± 0.3y/NC | 16 weeks football intervention (I, IV), 3 times/week, 40 min/time | Blank control | GO/NO GO (T>C) | 1-back (T>C) 2-back (T>C) | More-odd shifting (T>C) |
Abbreviations and notes: T = Test group; C = Control group; y = year; m = month; F%= Percentage of girls; NC = Not clear; I = open skills; II = closed skills; III = continuous skills; IV = sequential skills; HRmax = maximum heart rate; bpm = beats per minute of the heart; RPE = Rating of Perceived Exertion; PDTP = Picture Deletion Task for Preschoolers; DSST = Digit Symbol Substitution Test; RNG = Random Number Generation task. | ||||||||