Open-skill exercises yield larger executive function benefits than closed-skill exercises for inhibitory control and working memory¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 2 studies · 2 quant-synthesis r2–r3 · q3 · i2 medium
Currency · newest study 2020 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i2 Open motor skill interventions show a significantly larger effect on inhibitory control (SMD = −0.56) than closed motor skills (SMD = −0.11). → Liu S 2020 q3 i2 Open motor skills show a significantly larger effect on working memory (SMD = −0.72) than closed motor skills (SMD = −0.31). → Liu S 2020 (2)

Evidence¶

Liu S 2020¶

Liu S, Yu Q, Li Z, Cunha PM, Zhang Y, Kong Z, Lin W, Chen S and Cai Y (2020) Effects of Acute and Chronic Exercises on Executive Function in Children and Adolescents: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front. Psychol. 11:554915. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.554915

q3 · i2 · quant-synthesis · r3

Subgroup analysis of chronic exercise effects on inhibitory control by skill type (Q = 14.49, p = 0.001), showing open motor skills (e.g., physical education, basketball, ping-pong) outperformed closed-skill exercises (e.g., yoga, running).

"The results showed a significant effect of open motor skills (SMD = − 0.56, 95% CI − 0.73 to − 0.40) on inhibitory control."

Liu S 2020 (2)¶

Liu S, Yu Q, Li Z, Cunha PM, Zhang Y, Kong Z, Lin W, Chen S and Cai Y (2020) Effects of Acute and Chronic Exercises on Executive Function in Children and Adolescents: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front. Psychol. 11:554915. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.554915

q3 · i2 · quant-synthesis · r2

Subgroup analysis of chronic exercise effects on working memory by intervention classification, showing open motor skills produced a larger effect than closed motor skills.

"a statistically si gnificant difference of the evaluated ES was observed (Q = 20.53, p = 0.001) in open motor skills (SMD = − 0.72, 95% CI − 0.93 to − 0.43, p < 0.001) and closed motor skills (SMD = − 0.31, 95% CI − 0.57 to − 0.25, p < 0.01)"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Aerobic exercise improves executive functioning, most notably inhibitory control, in typically developing children, though evidence is tentative and one week-long study found no main effect — related
• Reported benefits of physical activity programs on executive functions depend on program duration and the executive domain analyzed — related
• Sustained aerobic exercise improves children's EFs, with dose-response benefits for the most EF-demanding task and math in the high-dose group only — related
• Physical activities combining exercise with character development or mindfulness improved children's EFs more than exercise alone: tae kwon do outperformed standard PE, and a yoga pilot improved planning — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Acute exercise significantly improves working memory in children and adolescents with a moderate effect size (SMD = −0.72) — related
• Acute exercise significantly improves inhibitory control in children and adolescents with a small effect size (SMD = −0.25) — related
• Traditional Tae-Kwon-Do training produces greater gains than standard physical education on all studied dimensions of EFs, with gains greatest for older children and boys — related
• Sport-specific disciplines relate to distinct executive functions: tennis and football with inhibitory control and working memory, with a larger tennis association in males — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Meta-regression identifies exercise type, age, and study quality as significant moderators of chronic exercise effects on executive function — possibly the same claim (merge candidate)
• Age moderates exercise effects in opposite directions: adolescents benefit more for inhibitory control, younger children more for working memory — related
• Chronic exercise significantly improves working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility in children and adolescents — related
• Experts' complex movements are flexibly controlled via mental basic action concepts stored in long-term memory, as shown with tennis serves — related
• Music interventions show moderately strong evidence for EF change including inhibitory control, possibly stronger with greater intensity and longevity — related