Effects of traditional Chinese exercises on brain-derived neurotrophic factor in middle-aged and older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Background/Objectives: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may help middle-aged and older adults resist age-related neurodegenerative conditions and psychiatric disorders. Recent studies suggested that Traditional Chinese exercises (TCEs) may be a promising strategy to improve the BDNF levels o...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1728869X24000819 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832087871978209280 |
|---|---|
| author | Jianyu Gan Jiya He Kaixiang Zhou Zhangyuting Shang Gengxin Dong Dapeng Bao Junhong Zhou |
| author_facet | Jianyu Gan Jiya He Kaixiang Zhou Zhangyuting Shang Gengxin Dong Dapeng Bao Junhong Zhou |
| author_sort | Jianyu Gan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background/Objectives: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may help middle-aged and older adults resist age-related neurodegenerative conditions and psychiatric disorders. Recent studies suggested that Traditional Chinese exercises (TCEs) may be a promising strategy to improve the BDNF levels of these populations, while the effectiveness has yet to be definitively confirmed due to the variances in the study designs and observations. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the effects of TCEs intervention on BDNF in middle-aged and older adults. Methods: The search was conducted in November 2024 in seven Chinese and English databases. Two reviewers independently reviewed the search results, extracted the data, and assessed the risk of bias and certainty of evidence. Meta-analyses and meta-regressions were performed to determine the overall effect size and the impact of potential moderators. Results: Ten publications consisting of 543 participants were included. The overall effect size of TCEs on BDNF was large and significant [Hedges'g = 0.82, 95 % CI (0.55, 1.09), p < 0.01]. Subgroup analysis revealed that the effect size was non-significant for participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (p = 0.08), while significant for participants with normal cognitive function (p < 0.01). In the meta-regression, moderators such as the mean age, sex, and baseline BDNF levels of participants, as well as total TCEs time were not associated with outcome variables. The certainty of the evidence was assessed as moderate. Conclusions: This systematic review and meta-analysis indicates that TCEs intervention could increase the levels of BDNF in middle-aged and older adults with normal cognitive function. Systematic review registration: www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier: CRD42023484121. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f108397130144d51a8fbc92ca27c0e1e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1728-869X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness |
| spelling | doaj-art-f108397130144d51a8fbc92ca27c0e1e2025-02-06T05:11:24ZengElsevierJournal of Exercise Science & Fitness1728-869X2025-01-012313241Effects of traditional Chinese exercises on brain-derived neurotrophic factor in middle-aged and older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsJianyu Gan0Jiya He1Kaixiang Zhou2Zhangyuting Shang3Gengxin Dong4Dapeng Bao5Junhong Zhou6Sports Coaching College, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Strength and Conditioning Training, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, ChinaCollege of Physical Education and Health Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, ChinaCollege of Physical Education and Health Management, Chongqing University of Education, Chongqing, China; Corresponding author.School of Sport Medicine and Physical Therapy, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, 100084, ChinaChina Institute of Sport and Health Science, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China; Corresponding author.Hebrew Senior Life Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United StatesBackground/Objectives: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may help middle-aged and older adults resist age-related neurodegenerative conditions and psychiatric disorders. Recent studies suggested that Traditional Chinese exercises (TCEs) may be a promising strategy to improve the BDNF levels of these populations, while the effectiveness has yet to be definitively confirmed due to the variances in the study designs and observations. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the effects of TCEs intervention on BDNF in middle-aged and older adults. Methods: The search was conducted in November 2024 in seven Chinese and English databases. Two reviewers independently reviewed the search results, extracted the data, and assessed the risk of bias and certainty of evidence. Meta-analyses and meta-regressions were performed to determine the overall effect size and the impact of potential moderators. Results: Ten publications consisting of 543 participants were included. The overall effect size of TCEs on BDNF was large and significant [Hedges'g = 0.82, 95 % CI (0.55, 1.09), p < 0.01]. Subgroup analysis revealed that the effect size was non-significant for participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (p = 0.08), while significant for participants with normal cognitive function (p < 0.01). In the meta-regression, moderators such as the mean age, sex, and baseline BDNF levels of participants, as well as total TCEs time were not associated with outcome variables. The certainty of the evidence was assessed as moderate. Conclusions: This systematic review and meta-analysis indicates that TCEs intervention could increase the levels of BDNF in middle-aged and older adults with normal cognitive function. Systematic review registration: www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier: CRD42023484121.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1728869X24000819Traditional Chinese exercisesBrain-derived neurotrophic factorMiddle-aged and older adultsMeta-analysis |
| spellingShingle | Jianyu Gan Jiya He Kaixiang Zhou Zhangyuting Shang Gengxin Dong Dapeng Bao Junhong Zhou Effects of traditional Chinese exercises on brain-derived neurotrophic factor in middle-aged and older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness Traditional Chinese exercises Brain-derived neurotrophic factor Middle-aged and older adults Meta-analysis |
| title | Effects of traditional Chinese exercises on brain-derived neurotrophic factor in middle-aged and older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |
| title_full | Effects of traditional Chinese exercises on brain-derived neurotrophic factor in middle-aged and older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |
| title_fullStr | Effects of traditional Chinese exercises on brain-derived neurotrophic factor in middle-aged and older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of traditional Chinese exercises on brain-derived neurotrophic factor in middle-aged and older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |
| title_short | Effects of traditional Chinese exercises on brain-derived neurotrophic factor in middle-aged and older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |
| title_sort | effects of traditional chinese exercises on brain derived neurotrophic factor in middle aged and older adults a systematic review and meta analysis of randomized controlled trials |
| topic | Traditional Chinese exercises Brain-derived neurotrophic factor Middle-aged and older adults Meta-analysis |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1728869X24000819 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jianyugan effectsoftraditionalchineseexercisesonbrainderivedneurotrophicfactorinmiddleagedandolderadultsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials AT jiyahe effectsoftraditionalchineseexercisesonbrainderivedneurotrophicfactorinmiddleagedandolderadultsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials AT kaixiangzhou effectsoftraditionalchineseexercisesonbrainderivedneurotrophicfactorinmiddleagedandolderadultsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials AT zhangyutingshang effectsoftraditionalchineseexercisesonbrainderivedneurotrophicfactorinmiddleagedandolderadultsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials AT gengxindong effectsoftraditionalchineseexercisesonbrainderivedneurotrophicfactorinmiddleagedandolderadultsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials AT dapengbao effectsoftraditionalchineseexercisesonbrainderivedneurotrophicfactorinmiddleagedandolderadultsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials AT junhongzhou effectsoftraditionalchineseexercisesonbrainderivedneurotrophicfactorinmiddleagedandolderadultsasystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials |