SynthesisMedicine2026
The effects of structured aerobic exercise and mind-body exercise on cognitive function in older adults with MCI: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundGlobal aging has increased the prevalence of dementia, with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) representing a critical window for intervention. While exercise is recognized for mitigating cognitive decline, the comparative effectiveness of mind-body versus structured aerobic exercise remains unclear.
methodsSearch sources included PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing mind-body exercise (tai chi, yoga, and dance) or structured aerobic exercise (walking and cycling) in patients with MCI aged over 50 years were included. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog) were used as outcome measures. Random- or fixed-effects meta-analyses were conducted using RevMan 5.4.1. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic. Subgroup analyses examined intervention parameters.
resultsTwenty-six randomized controlled trials (n = 2,555) were included. Mind-body exercise significantly improved MMSE (mean difference [MD] = 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99-1.55, P < .01), MoCA (MD = 1.89, 95% CI: 0.78-3.00, P = .0008), and ADAS-Cog (MD = -2.09, 95% CI: -2.94 to -1.25, P < .00001) versus controls. Structured aerobic exercise showed non-significant effects on MMSE (MD = 0.37, P = .21) and MoCA (MD = -0.49, P = .26), with modest improvement on ADAS-Cog (MD = -1.41, P = .002). Optimal mind-body parameters include ≥20 weeks' duration, ≥60 minutes per session, and ≥3 times per week.
conclusionsMind-body exercise demonstrates superior cognitive benefits compared with structured aerobic exercise in older adults with MCI. It is advised to prioritize mind-body exercise interventions at least 3 times per week, for 60 minutes per session, for at least 20 weeks. Limitations include heterogeneity and geographic bias; these findings warrant confirmation through multicenter trials.
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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.