EXPRESS: Evaluation of the Transient Hypofrontality Theory in the Context of Exercise: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 174702182110488
Author(s):  
Myungjin Jung ◽  
Seungho Ryu ◽  
Minsoo Kang ◽  
Amir-Homayoun Javadi ◽  
Paul D. Loprinzi

Accumulating research suggests that, as a result of reduced neural activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), higher-order cognitive function may be compromised while engaging in high-intensity acute exercise, with this phenomenon referred to as the transient hypofrontality effect. However, findings in this field remain unclear and lack a thorough synthesis of the evidence. Therefore, the purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of in-task acute exercise on cognitive function, and further, to examine whether this effect is moderated by the specific type of cognition (i.e., PFC-dependent vs. non-PFC-dependent). Studies were identified by electronic databases in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. In total, twenty-two studies met our inclusion criteria and intercept only meta-regression models with robust variance estimation were used to calculate the weighted average effect sizes across studies. Acute exercise at all intensities did not influence cognitive function (β = -0.16, 95% CI = [-0.58, 0.27], p = .45) when exercise occurred during the cognitive task, and no significant moderation effects emerged. However, there was evidence that cognitive task type (PFC-dependent vs. non-PFC-dependent) moderated the effect of high-intensity acute exercise on a concomitant cognitive performance (β = -0.81, 95% CI = [-1.60, -0.02], p = .04). Specifically, our findings suggest that PFC-dependent cognition is impaired while engaging in an acute bout of high-intensity exercise, providing support for the transient hypofrontality theory. We discuss these findings in the context of a cognitive-energetic perspective.

Medicina ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shengyan Sun ◽  
Paul D. Loprinzi ◽  
Hongwei Guan ◽  
Liye Zou ◽  
Zhaowei Kong ◽  
...  

Background and Objectives: Limited research has evaluated the effects of acute exercise on cognition under different conditions of inspired oxygenation. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of high-intensity interval exercise (HIE) under normoxia (inspired fraction of oxygen (FIO2): 0.209) and moderate hypoxia (FIO2: 0.154) on cognitive function. Design: A single-blinded cross-over design was used to observe the main effects of exercise and oxygen level, and interaction effects on cognitive task performance. Methods: Twenty inactive adults (10 males and 10 females, 19–27 years old) performed a cognitive task (i.e., the Go/No-Go task) before and immediately after an acute bout of HIE under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. The HIE comprised 10 repetitions of 6 s high-intensity cycling against 7.5% body weight interspersed with 30 s passive recovery. Heart rate, peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) and rating of perceived exertion were monitored. Results: The acute bout of HIE did not affect the reaction time (p = 0.204, η2 = 0.083) but the accuracy rate decreased significantly after HIE under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions (p = 0.001, η2 = 0.467). Moreover, moderate hypoxia had no influence either on reaction time (p = 0.782, η2 = 0.004) or response accuracy (p = 0.972, η2 < 0.001). Conclusions: These results indicate that an acute session of HIE may impair response accuracy immediately post-HIE, without sacrificing reaction time. Meanwhile moderate hypoxia was found to have no adverse effect on cognitive function in inactive young adults, at least in the present study.


2021 ◽  
pp. 003465432110608
Author(s):  
Virginia Clinton-Lisell

In this study, a meta-analysis of reading and listening comprehension comparisons across age groups was conducted. Based on robust variance estimation (46 studies; N = 4,687), the overall difference between reading and listening comprehension was not reliably different (g = 0.07, p = .23). Reading was beneficial over listening when the reading condition was self-paced (g = 0.13, p = .049) rather than experimenter-paced (g = −0.32, p = .16). Reading also had a benefit when inferential and general comprehension rather than literal comprehension was assessed (g = 0.36, p = .02; g = .15, p = .05; g = −0.01, p = .93, respectively). There was some indication that reading and listening were more similar in languages with transparent orthographies than opaque orthographies (g = 0.001, p = .99; g = 0.10, p = .19, respectively). The findings may be used to inform theories of comprehension about modality influences in that both lower-level skill and affordances vary comparisons of reading and listening comprehension. Moreover, the findings may guide choices of modality; however, both audio and written options are needed for accessible instruction.


2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 327-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Stevens ◽  
Melissa A. Rodgers ◽  
Sarah R. Powell

The purpose of this review was to conduct a meta-analysis of 25 years of mathematics interventions for students with mathematics difficulty or disability in Grades 4 through 12. A search of the literature yielded 25 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Studies were coded to extract important study information (e.g., participant information, research design, description of treatment, and comparison groups) and data needed to calculate Hedge’s g. We used robust variance estimation (RVE) to address dependence resulting from multiple outcomes per study. The RVE random-effects model estimated a treatment effect of 0.85. After adjusting for small-study effects, the final model estimated an underlying, moderate effect of 0.49 with a large amount of unexplained heterogeneity between studies. Studies with more than 15 hr of treatment and those focused on fraction content significantly moderated mathematics outcomes. Findings are limited by extreme variability across study estimates, the lack of standardized mathematics measures, and a limited number of studies across 25 years of research.


2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (12) ◽  
pp. 1225-1232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lieselot Decroix ◽  
Cajsa Tonoli ◽  
Danusa D. Soares ◽  
Semah Tagougui ◽  
Elsa Heyman ◽  
...  

Acute exercise-induced improvements in cognitive function are accompanied by increased (cerebral) blood flow and increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. Acute cocoa flavanol (CF) intake may improve cognitive function, cerebral blood flow (in humans), and BNDF levels (in animals). This study investigated (i) the effect of CF intake in combination with exercise on cognitive function and (ii) cerebral hemodynamics and BDNF in response to CF intake and exercise. Twelve healthy men participated in this randomized, double-blind, crossover study. Participants performed a cognitive task (CT) at 100 min after acute 903-mg CF or placebo (PL) intake, followed by a 30-min time-trial. Immediately after this exercise, the same CT was performed. Prefrontal near-infrared spectroscopy was applied during CT and exercise to measure changes in oxygenated (ΔHbO2), deoxygenated (ΔHHb), and total haemoglobin (ΔHbtot) and blood samples were drawn and analyzed for BDNF. Reaction time was faster postexercise, but was not influenced by CF. ΔHbO2 during the resting CT was increased by CF, compared with PL. ΔHbO2, ΔHHb, and ΔHbtot increased in response to exercise without any effect of CF. During the postexercise cognitive task, there were no hemodynamic differences between CF or PL. Serum BDNF was increased by exercise, but was not influenced by CF. In conclusion, at rest, CF intake increased cerebral oxygenation, but not BDNF concentrations, and no impact on executive function was detected. This beneficial effect of CF on cerebral oxygenation at rest was overruled by the strong exercise-induced increases in cerebral perfusion and oxygenation.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
James E Pustejovsky ◽  
Elizabeth Tipton

In prevention science and related fields, large meta-analyses are common, and these analyses often involve dependent effect size estimates. Robust variance estimation (RVE) methods provide a way to include all dependent effect sizes in a single meta-regression model, even when the nature of the dependence is unknown. RVE uses a working model of the dependence structure, but the two currently available working models are limited to each describing a single type of dependence. Drawing on flexible tools from multivariate meta-analysis, this paper describes an expanded range of working models, along with accompanying estimation methods, which offer benefits in terms of better capturing the types of data structures that occur in practice and improving the efficiency of meta-regression estimates. We describe how the methods can be implemented using existing software (the ‘metafor’ and ‘clubSandwich’ packages for R) and illustrate the approach in a meta-analysis of randomized trials examining the effects of brief alcohol interventions for adolescents and young adults.


Author(s):  
Tim Whitfield ◽  
Thorsten Barnhofer ◽  
Rebecca Acabchuk ◽  
Avi Cohen ◽  
Michael Lee ◽  
...  

AbstractMindfulness-based programs (MBPs) are increasingly utilized to improve mental health. Interest in the putative effects of MBPs on cognitive function is also growing. This is the first meta-analysis of objective cognitive outcomes across multiple domains from randomized MBP studies of adults. Seven databases were systematically searched to January 2020. Fifty-six unique studies (n = 2,931) were included, of which 45 (n = 2,238) were synthesized using robust variance estimation meta-analysis. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses evaluated moderators. Pooling data across cognitive domains, the summary effect size for all studies favored MBPs over comparators and was small in magnitude (g = 0.15; [0.05, 0.24]). Across subgroup analyses of individual cognitive domains/subdomains, MBPs outperformed comparators for executive function (g = 0.15; [0.02, 0.27]) and working memory outcomes (g = 0.23; [0.11, 0.36]) only. Subgroup analyses identified significant effects for studies of non-clinical samples, as well as for adults aged over 60. Across all studies, MBPs outperformed inactive, but not active comparators. Limitations include the primarily unclear within-study risk of bias (only a minority of studies were considered low risk), and that statistical constraints rendered some p-values unreliable. Together, results partially corroborate the hypothesized link between mindfulness practices and cognitive performance. This review was registered with PROSPERO [CRD42018100904].


10.2196/23513 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (12) ◽  
pp. e23513
Author(s):  
Flora Tzelepis ◽  
Aimee Mitchell ◽  
Louise Wilson ◽  
Emma Byrnes ◽  
Alexandra Haschek ◽  
...  

Background Smoking tobacco, poor nutrition, risky alcohol use, and physical inactivity (SNAP) behaviors tend to cluster together. Health benefits may be maximized if interventions targeted multiple health risk behaviors together rather than addressing single behaviors. The internet has wide reach and is a sustainable mode for delivery of interventions for multiple health behaviors. However, no systematic reviews have examined the long-term effectiveness of internet-based interventions on any combination of or all SNAP behaviors in adults aged 18 years or older. Objective This systematic review examined, among adults (aged ≥18 years), the effectiveness of internet-based interventions on SNAP behaviors collectively in the long term compared with a control condition. Methods The electronic databases Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL, and Scopus were searched to retrieve studies describing the effectiveness of internet-based interventions on ≥2 SNAP behaviors published by November 18, 2019. The reference lists of retrieved articles were also checked to identify eligible publications. The inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials or cluster randomized controlled trials with adults examining an internet-based intervention measuring the effect on ≥2 SNAP behaviors at least 6 months postrecruitment and published in English in a peer-reviewed journal. Two reviewers independently extracted data from included studies and assessed methodological quality using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. A robust variance estimation meta-analysis was performed to examine the long-term effectiveness of internet-based interventions on all 4 SNAP risk behavior outcomes. All SNAP outcomes were coded so they were in the same direction, with higher scores equating to worse health risk behaviors. Results The inclusion criteria were met by 11 studies: 7 studies measured the effect of an internet-based intervention on nutrition and physical activity; 1 study measured the effect on smoking, nutrition, and physical activity; and 3 studies measured the effect on all SNAP behaviors. Compared with the control group, internet-based interventions achieved an overall significant improvement across all SNAP behaviors in the long term (standardized mean difference –0.12 [improvement as higher scores = worse health risk outcomes], 95% CI –0.19 to –0.05; I2=1.5%, P=.01). The global methodological quality rating was “moderate” for 1 study, while the remaining 10 studies were rated as “weak.” Conclusions Internet-based interventions were found to produce an overall significant improvement across all SNAP behaviors collectively in the long term. Internet-based interventions targeting multiple SNAP behaviors have the potential to maximize long-term improvements to preventive health outcomes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1077-1099 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malte Friese ◽  
Julius Frankenbach ◽  
Veronika Job ◽  
David D. Loschelder

Self-control is positively associated with a host of beneficial outcomes. Therefore, psychological interventions that reliably improve self-control are of great societal value. A prominent idea suggests that training self-control by repeatedly overriding dominant responses should lead to broad improvements in self-control over time. Here, we conducted a random-effects meta-analysis based on robust variance estimation of the published and unpublished literature on self-control training effects. Results based on 33 studies and 158 effect sizes revealed a small-to-medium effect of g = 0.30, confidence interval (CI95) [0.17, 0.42]. Moderator analyses found that training effects tended to be larger for (a) self-control stamina rather than strength, (b) studies with inactive compared to active control groups, (c) males than females, and (d) when proponents of the strength model of self-control were (co)authors of a study. Bias-correction techniques suggested the presence of small-study effects and/or publication bias and arrived at smaller effect size estimates (range: gcorrected = .13 to .24). The mechanisms underlying the effect are poorly understood. There is not enough evidence to conclude that the repeated control of dominant responses is the critical element driving training effects.


2021 ◽  
pp. 002221942110103
Author(s):  
Florina Erbeli ◽  
Peng Peng ◽  
Marianne Rice

Research on the question of creative benefit accompanying dyslexia has produced conflicting findings. In this meta-analysis, we determined summary effects of mean and variance differences in creativity between groups with and without dyslexia. Twenty studies were included ( n = 770 individuals with dyslexia, n = 1,671 controls). A random-effects robust variance estimation (RVE) analysis indicated no mean ( g = −0.02, p = .84) or variance differences ( g = −0.0004, p = .99) in creativity between groups. The mean summary effect was moderated by age, gender, and creativity domain. Compared with adolescents, adults with dyslexia showed an advantage over nondyslexic adults in creativity. In addition, a higher proportion of males in the dyslexia group was associated with poorer performance compared with the controls. Finally, the dyslexia group showed a significant performance disadvantage in verbal versus figural creativity. Regarding variance differences, they varied across age and creativity domains. Compared with adults, adolescents showed smaller variability in the dyslexia group. If the creativity task measured verbal versus figural or combined creativity, then the dyslexia group exhibited smaller variability. Altogether, our results suggest that individuals with dyslexia as a group are no more creative or show greater variability in creativity than peers without dyslexia.


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