Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40917431›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in public health2025

The effect of physical exercise on apathy in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Haichang Jia, Zhengyang Mei, Yang Luo, Xintong Mou, Jing Huang

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Haichang JiaCollege of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
Zhengyang MeiCollege of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
Yang LuoCollege of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
Xintong MouCollege of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
Jing HuangCollege of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objectives: The objectives of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to evaluate the overall efficacy of physical exercise on apathy in older adults and to provide evidence for alleviating and improving apathy. Methods: This study was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook for the Evaluation of Systems of Intervention. A comprehensive search was performed across databases, including Cochrane, EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science, with a cutoff date of January 2025. Data extraction, organization, and quality assessment were performed using appropriate software. Stata was used to analyze and process the data and test for publication bias. Results: The analysis included 9 RCTs involving a total of 356 participants. The meta-analysis revealed a significant improvement in apathy (SMD = -0.32; 95% CI -0.53 to -0.11; Conclusion: Physical exercise effectively alleviates and improves apathy in older adults. Physical exercise is characterized by low risk and high therapeutic benefits and can be used as an alternative or adjunct to medications for the treatment of apathy. Given its favorable safety and efficacy profile, physical exercise should be an important intervention in the treatment of apathy in older adults, while control of the intensity of exercise and supervision of the safety of the exercise process must be considered. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251123484, CRD420251123484.

Indexed as

ApathyExerciseAgedAged, 80 and overHumansapathymeta-analysisnon-pharmacological interventionolder adultsphysical exercisesystematic review

Identifiers

PMID40917431
PMCPMC12408284

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.