The Effect of an 8-Week Aerobic Dance Program on Executive Function in Children

Toward Development of a Novel Proprioceptive Trail-Making Test: Comparing Healthy Dancers and Non-Dancers

There is a pressing need for ecologically valid versions of traditional neuropsychological tests indexing executive function (EF), such as the Trail-Making Task (TMT), that incorporate movement and bodily awareness in healthy participants with varying abilities. We designed a proprioceptive version of the TMT (pTMT) that involved coordinated gross motor movement and proprioceptive awareness to investigate whether this measure of visual attention, task switching, and working memory positively correlated with a computerized version of the TMT (the dTMT). We aimed to establish the initial validity of our proprioceptive TMT (pTMT) by comparing performances on the dTMT and pTMT among a cohort of 36 healthy participants (18 dancers, 18 non-dancers; M age = 22, SD = 5.27; 64% female) anticipating that dancers would express higher intrinsic bodily awareness than non-dancers. Results revealed a mild to moderate but statistically significant positive correlation between dTMT and pTMT completion times [part A: r (36) = .33, p = .04; part B: r (36) = .37, p = .03] and numbers of errors [part B: r (36) = .41, p = .01] across both participant groups. These data suggest partial measurement convergence between these two TMT versions. Relative to non-dancers, dancers exhibited a higher level of performance (likely due to their better proprioceptive ability) through their faster completion times on dTMT-B [t (34) = 3.81, p = .006, d = 1.27] and pTMT-B [t (34) = 2.97, p = .005, d = .99], and their fewer errors on dTMT-B [t (34) = 2.93, p = .006, d = 1.0]. By identifying cognitive differences between these different groups of healthy individuals, our data contribute to both a theoretical understanding and the initial development of gross motor movement-based cognitive assessments, providing a path toward the further refinement of an ecologically valid full-body TMT.

Effects of 8 weeks parent-accompanied swimming on physical capacity and intelligence in preschool children

This study aimed to explore the potential effects of 8-week parents-accompanied swimming on the physical capacity and intelligence of preschool children in China. Thirty-six boys (mean age 3.56 ± 0.27 years) were divided into three groups: the traditional physical exercise group (TP, n = 12), the accompanied swimming group (AS, n = 12) and the independent swimming group (IS, n = 12). Participants' physical capacity was assessed before and after the intervention using the following indicators: height, weight, distance of tennis ball throw, standing long jump distance, time for the 10-meter shuttle run, time for a two-legged continuous jump, sit-and-reach distance, and time on the walking balance beam. Intelligence was assessed at three points: pre-test, mid-test after 4 weeks, and post-test. Data were analyzed using a two-way repeated measures ANOVA, Bonferroni test (p < 0.05) and effect size. The time of the AS and IS groups to walk the balance beam was significantly lower than the TP group, with a difference of 1.81 s (p < 0.01, [95% CI -3.22 to -0.40], ES = 1.53) and 1.25 s (p < 0.05, [95% CI -2.66 to 0.16], ES = 0.81). At the mid-test, the IQ scores of the TP group were lower than the AS group (p < 0.05, [95% CI -12.45 to -0.96], ES = 0.89). Additionally, at post-test, the IQ scores of the TP group were significantly lower than those of both AS (p < 0.01, [95% CI -14.12 to -2.74], ES = 1.15) and IS groups (p < 0.01, [95% CI -12.53 to -3.31], ES = 1.21). Swimming enhances children's balance and IQ scores more than traditional physical exercises. Involving parents in swimming leads to a more significant increase in IQ scores within 4 weeks of initial swimming exercise.

The Impact of Aerobic Dance Intervention on Postural Balance in Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aimed to investigate the impact of an 8-week aerobic dance intervention on postural balance in children. Forty-one children, aged 9 to 11, were randomly assigned to either an aerobic dance group (ADG) or a control group (CG) from a primary school. Postural balance was assessed using center of pressure (CoP) excursions before and after the 8-week intervention period. Evaluations were conducted on both firm and foam surfaces in bipedal and unipedal stances under open-eyes (OE) and closed-eyes (CE) conditions, as well as on both medial-lateral (ML) and anterior-posterior (AP) surfaces in a bipedal stance under OE conditions. The ADG exhibited significantly decreased CoPVm values during firm bipedal CE, unipedal OE, foam bipedal OE and CE, and foam unipedal OE (p < 0.005). This study suggests that aerobic dance intervention improved postural balance in children, showcasing adaptability and improved stability under various conditions.

Comparative efficacy of physical activity types on executive functions in children and adolescents: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVES

This study investigates the impact of various physical activity (PA) types on executive functions (EFs) in children and adolescents.

DESIGN

A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

METHODS

We searched databases such as PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science up to April 2023, including randomized controlled trials involving 6 distinct PA types for healthy children and adolescents. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the risk of bias, and a random-effects model in STATA 17.0 was used to calculate standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

Ball Games emerged as the most effective modality for improving updating accuracy, securing a SUCRA score of 94.4 %, and for reducing inhibition reaction time, with a SUCRA score of 94.8 %. Cognitively Engaging Physical Activity led in improving inhibition accuracy with a SUCRA score of 71.7 %. Dance excelled in improving update accuracy and reducing shifting reaction time, with SUCRA scores of 86.6 % and 99.5 %, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

PA has a significant benefit in EFs in children and adolescents, however the size of the effect varies by type of PA. Ball Games emerged as the most efficacious modality for enhancing updating accuracy and for expediting inhibition reaction time. Cognitively Engaging Physical Activity proved to be the preeminent strategy for improving inhibition accuracy. Dance was distinguished as the optimal approach for improving updating accuracy and reducing shifting reaction time.

A 16-week school-based intervention improves physical fitness in Slovenian children: a randomized controlled trial

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 16-week school-based physical activity (PA) intervention on physical fitness (PF) (speed, hand-eye coordination, flexibility) of 8- to 9-year-olds. Methods: A total of seventy-eight boys and girls (boys: n = 45, aged 8.4 ± 4.9 years; girls: n = 42, aged 8.6 ± 0.5 years) from a school in Slovenia were randomly assigned to either a group with an after-school PA program (EXP) or a control group (CON) that participated exclusively in mandatory physical education (PE). The EXP group engaged in the extracurricular PA program for 60 min twice a week for 16 weeks, concurrent with regular PE classes. The program primarily involved elementary PE games that included elements of athletics (e.g., skipping, push- off running, hopping, crossstepping, and jumping) and gymnastics (e.g., handstand, forward roll, backward roll, hand support jumps, squat jump on a vault box, climbing on horizontal bars, incline benches and ropes, crawling, and jumping rope). Standardized tests appropriate for this age group were used to assess PF, including the sit and reach test (SAR), the 30-meter sprint, and the alternate hand wall toss test at distances of 1.0 and 2.0 m (AHWT 1.0 and 2.0). Results: There was a significant group-time interaction for SAR test (EXP group increase: +1.6 cm, +6.3%; CON group decrease: -0.1 cm, -0.4%; p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.361), and the 30 m sprint (EXP group improvement: -0.4 s, -6.3%; CON group decrease: +0.1 s, +1.6%; p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.193). Similarly, the EXP group improved by +2.1 points (+25.6%) in the 1.0 m wall throw with the alternating hand, while the CON group showed only minimal changes (-0.2 points, -2.4%; p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.545). No significant interaction was found for the 2.0 m toss (EXP and CON group both -0.1 points, -2.6%; p = 0.888, ηp2 = 0.001). Post-hoc analyses with paired t-tests revealed that the EXP group showed significant improvements in SAR test (p < 0.001), 30 m sprint (p < 0.001) and AHWT 1.0 test (p < 0.001), while the CON group showed no significant changes in SAR test (p = 0.533), 30 m sprint (p = 0.150), AHWT 1.0 test (p = 0.186) and AHWT 2.0 test (p = 0.430). Discussion: The results of the study showed that the extracurricular program with only two additional weekly sessions significantly improved the components of PF in 8- to 9-year olds. Significant improvements were observed in the areas of flexibility, speed and coordination, as shown in the SAR test, 30-meter sprint and 1.0-meter handwall toss tests. However, no similar improvements were observed in the 2.0-meter handwall toss, which illustrates the specific areas of impact of the program.

Dance Is a Healing Art

The purpose of this review is to evaluate the health benefits of dance and dance therapy in various health domains. Dance interventions included movement therapy with certified therapists, common dances such as ballroom dancing, salsa, and cha-cha as well as ethnic dances, such as the Chinese Guozhuang Dance and the Native American jingle dance. The health domains included depression, cognitive function, neuromotor function, dementia, balance, neurological growth factors, and subjective well-being. The National Library of Medicine, Congress of Library, and the Internet were searched using the terms: dance, dance movement therapy, health, cognitive function, healing, neurological function, neuromotor function, and affective disorders from 1831 to January 2, 2023. Two-thousand five hundred and ninety-one articles were identified. Articles were selected if they provided information on the health benefits of dance in one or more of the above domains as compared to a "non-dance" control population. Studies included systematic reviews, randomized controlled studies, and long-term perspective studies. Most of the subjects in the studies were considered "elderly," which was generally defined as 65 years or older. However, the benefits of DI on executive function were also demonstrated in primary school children. Overall, the studies demonstrated that DI provided benefits in several physical and psychological parameters as well as executive function as compared with regular exercise alone. Impressive findings were that dance was associated with increased brain volume and function and neurotrophic growth function. The populations studied included subjects who were "healthy" older adults and children who had dementia, cognitive dysfunction, Parkinson's disease, or depression.

Effects of Physical Activity on Inhibitory Function in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to systematically evaluate the effect of physical activity (PA) on inhibitory function in children with ADHD. Experimental studies on the effect of PA on the inhibitory function of children with ADHD were retrieved. The data were obtained from PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EBSCO (MEDLINE, APA Psyclnfo, ERIC), Embase, Scopus, and ProQuest. The search period was from the date of inception of the respective databases to 4 May 2022, and Reviewer Manager software (version 5.3) was used for analysis. Eleven articles and 713 samples were included in the meta-analysis. Results revealed that PA can significantly improve the inhibitory function of children with ADHD (SMD = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.45−1.10, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that the effectiveness of PA as an intervention in improving the inhibitory function of children with ADHD was moderated by the frequency, intensity, duration, type, and length of intervention. Based on the findings, PA can effectively improve interference suppression inhibitory function in children with ADHD. Longitudinal open-skill exercise for 60 min or more, two times/week has the best effect on improving inhibitory function in children with ADHD.