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Bao R, Wade L, Leahy AA, Owen KB, Hillman CH, Jaakkola T, Lubans DR. Associations Between Motor Competence and Executive Functions in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med 2024; 54:2141-2156. [PMID: 38769244 PMCID: PMC11329584 DOI: 10.1007/s40279-024-02040-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Motor competence and executive functions co-develop throughout childhood and adolescence, and there is emerging evidence that improvements in motor competence may have cognitive benefits in these populations. There is a need to provide a quantitative synthesis of the cross-sectional, longitudinal and experimental studies that have examined the association between motor competence and executive functions in school-aged youth. OBJECTIVES The primary aim of our systematic review was to synthesise evidence of the association between motor competence and executive functions in school-aged children and adolescents (5-18 years). Our secondary aim was to examine key moderators of this association. METHODS We searched the PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus and EMBASE databases from inception up to 27 June 2023. We included cross-sectional, longitudinal and experimental studies that assessed the association between motor competence (e.g., general motor competence, locomotor skills, object control skills and stability skills) and executive functions (e.g., general executive functions, inhibition, working memory and cognitive flexibility) in children and adolescents aged 5-18 years. RESULTS In total, 12,117 records were screened for eligibility, and 44 studies were included. From the 44 included studies, we meta-analysed 37 studies with 251 effect sizes using a structural equation modelling approach in the statistical program R. We found a small positive association (r = 0.18, [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.13-0.22]) between motor competence and executive functions. The positive associations were observed in cross-sectional (r = 0.17, [95% CI 0.13-0.22]), longitudinal (r = 0.15, [95% CI 0.03-0.28]) and experimental studies (r = 0.25, [95% CI 0.01-0.45]). We also found that general motor competence (r = 0.25, [95% CI 0.18-0.33]), locomotor (r = 0.15, [95% CI 0.09-0.21]), object control (r = 0.14, [95% CI 0.08-0.20]) and stability (r = 0.14, [95% CI 0.08-0.20]) skills were associated with executive functions. We did not find any moderating effects for participants' age on the associations between motor competence and executive functions. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest a small-to-moderate positive association between motor competence and executive functions in children and adolescents. The small number of experimental studies included in this review support the assertion that interventions targeting children's motor competence may be a promising strategy to improve their executive functions; however, more research is needed to confirm these findings. Future studies should explore the underlying mechanisms linking motor competence and executive functions as their comprehension may be used to optimise future intervention design and delivery. PROSPERO REGISTRATION CRD42021285134.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Bao
- Centre for Active Living and Learning, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- College of Human and Social Futures, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Active Living Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Levi Wade
- Centre for Active Living and Learning, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- College of Human and Social Futures, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Active Living Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Angus A Leahy
- Centre for Active Living and Learning, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- College of Human and Social Futures, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Active Living Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Katherine B Owen
- SPRINTER, Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Charles H Hillman
- Center for Cognitive and Brain Health, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Physical Therapy, Movement, and Rehabilitation Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Timo Jaakkola
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - David Revalds Lubans
- Centre for Active Living and Learning, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
- College of Human and Social Futures, School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
- Active Living Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia.
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyvaskyla, Finland.
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Merzbach V, Ferrandino M, Gernigon M, Marques Pinto J, Scruton A, Gordon D. Impact of Prescribed Exercise on the Physical and Cognitive Health of Adults with Down Syndrome: The MinDSets Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:7121. [PMID: 38063551 PMCID: PMC10706086 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20237121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
The duplication of chromosome 21, as evidenced in Down Syndrome (DS), has been linked to contraindications to health, such as chronotropic and respiratory incompetence, neuromuscular conditions, and impaired cognitive functioning. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of eight weeks of prescribed exercise and/or cognitive training on the physical and cognitive health of adults with DS. Eighty-three participants (age 27.1 ± 8.0 years) across five continents participated. Physical fitness was assessed using a modified version of the six-minute walk test (6MWT), while cognitive and executive functions were assessed using the Corsi block test, the Sustained-Attention-To-Response Task (SART), and the Stroop task (STROOP). All were completed pre- and post-intervention. Participants were assigned to eight weeks of either exercise (EXE), 3 × 30 min of walking/jogging per week, cognitive training (COG) 6 × ~20 min per week, a combined group (COM), and a control group (CON) engaging in no intervention. 6MWT distance increased by 11.4% for EXE and 9.9% for COM (p < 0.05). For SART, there were positive significant interactions between the number of correct and incorrect responses from pre- to post-intervention when participants were asked to refrain from a response (NO-GO-trials) across all experimental groups (p < 0.05). There were positive significant interactions in the number of correct, incorrect, and timeout incompatible responses for STROOP in EXE, COG, and COM (p < 0.05). Walking generated a cognitive load attributed to heightened levels of vigilance and decision-making, suggesting that exercise should be adopted within the DS community to promote physical and cognitive well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviane Merzbach
- Cambridge Centre for Sport & Exercise Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK; (V.M.); (M.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.P.); (A.S.)
| | - Michael Ferrandino
- Cambridge Centre for Sport & Exercise Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK; (V.M.); (M.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.P.); (A.S.)
| | - Marie Gernigon
- Cambridge Centre for Sport & Exercise Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK; (V.M.); (M.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.P.); (A.S.)
- CIAMS, Université Paris-Saclay, CEDEX, 91405 Orsay, France
- CIAMS, Université d’Orléans, 45067 Orléans, France
| | - Jorge Marques Pinto
- Cambridge Centre for Sport & Exercise Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK; (V.M.); (M.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.P.); (A.S.)
| | - Adrian Scruton
- Cambridge Centre for Sport & Exercise Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK; (V.M.); (M.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.P.); (A.S.)
| | - Dan Gordon
- Cambridge Centre for Sport & Exercise Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK; (V.M.); (M.F.); (M.G.); (J.M.P.); (A.S.)
- CIAMS, Université Paris-Saclay, CEDEX, 91405 Orsay, France
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Tun MT, Aye T, Htut TZC, Mar Tin W, Khin MT. Fundamental motor skill proficiency among 7- to 10-year-old children with Down syndrome. J Phys Ther Sci 2023; 35:1-6. [PMID: 36628149 PMCID: PMC9822829 DOI: 10.1589/jpts.35.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
[Purpose] The purposes of this study were to assess the fundamental motor skill (FMS) of children with Down syndrome (DS) and to compare their FMS proficiencies to those of chronological age-matched and gender-matched typically developing children (TDC). [Participants and Methods] This cross-sectional study involved a total of 60 participants (30 children with DS and 30 TDC). The FMS proficiency of participants was assessed by using the test of gross motor development, second edition (TGMD-2). The data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests to verify the differences between the two groups and gender. The effect size of Cohen's d was also determined for comparing the two groups. [Results] The results showed that there were significant differences between children with DS and the TDC on locomotor and object control standard scores, and the gross motor quotient (GMQ). However, there were no significant gender-based differences in the locomotor and object control standard scores and the GMQ in both groups. [Conclusion] Based on the current results, the FMS proficiency of children with DS is lower than the TDC. Therefore, a therapeutic intervention program is necessary for children with DS to improve their FMS proficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myo Thein Tun
- Department of Physiotherapy, University of Medical
Technology, Yangon, Ministry of Health: Lower Mingalardon Road, Aung San, Insein, Yangon
11012, Myanmar
| | - Thanda Aye
- Department of Physiotherapy, University of Medical
Technology, Yangon, Ministry of Health: Lower Mingalardon Road, Aung San, Insein, Yangon
11012, Myanmar,Corresponding author. Thanda Aye (E-mail: )
| | - Thwe Zar Chi Htut
- Department of Physiotherapy, University of Medical
Technology, Yangon, Ministry of Health: Lower Mingalardon Road, Aung San, Insein, Yangon
11012, Myanmar
| | - Wai Mar Tin
- Medical Unit-3, Yangon Children Hospital, Ministry of
Health, Myanmar
| | - Myo Thuzar Khin
- Department of Physiotherapy, University of Medical
Technology, Yangon, Ministry of Health: Lower Mingalardon Road, Aung San, Insein, Yangon
11012, Myanmar
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