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International journal of developmental neuroscience : the official journal of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience
Jun, 2022;82 (4): 295-302.

How aerobic exercise improves executive function in ADHD children: A resting-state fMRI study.

Kaihua Jiang, Yue Xu, Yamin Li, Lin Li, Mingmei Yang, Peng Xue
Author Information
  1. Kaihua Jiang: Department of Pediatrics, Changzhou Children's Hospital of Nantong University, Changzhou, China. ORCID
  2. Yue Xu: Department of Pediatrics, Changzhou Children's Hospital of Nantong University, Changzhou, China.
  3. Yamin Li: Department of Pediatrics, Changzhou Children's Hospital of Nantong University, Changzhou, China.
  4. Lin Li: Department of Pediatrics, Changzhou Children's Hospital of Nantong University, Changzhou, China.
  5. Mingmei Yang: Department of Pediatrics, Changzhou Children's Hospital of Nantong University, Changzhou, China.
  6. Peng Xue: Department of Pediatrics, Changzhou Children's Hospital of Nantong University, Changzhou, China.
PMID: 35274372 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10177

Abstract

The aim of the study is to explore the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) characteristics of the improvement in executive function by aerobic exercise in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Seventeen children with ADHD were selected for 8 weeks of rope skipping aerobic training, and fMRI findings and executive function were examined before and after training. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and degree centrality (DC) indexes were used in fMRI analysis, whereas the flanker task was used to test executive function. A paired t test was used to compare the fMRI indexes and response time of executive function before and after training. After aerobic exercise, the brain regions in which the ReHo value of ADHD children significantly increased included the left middle frontal gyrus and the right superior frontal gyrus; the brain region in which the DC value increased was the right posterior cingulate cortex. The flanker task response time decreased significantly (P < 0.05, after correction) after aerobic exercise. The study findings support the hypothesis that aerobic exercise can improve the executive function of ADHD children, and the brain mechanism involved is mainly related to the enhancement of spontaneous prefrontal lobe activity.

Keywords

aerobic exercise attention deficit hyperactivity disorder executive function

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Grants

  1. CJ20200081/Science and Technology Program of Basic Applying of Changzhou

MeSH Term

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
Brain
Brain Mapping
Child
Executive Function
Exercise
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Journal Article

Word Cloud

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