Figures & data
Table 1 Characteristics of included studies
Table 2 Design, methods, interventions and assessment, and outcome measures in included studies
Table 3 Results of included studies
Table 4 Association between physical activity and cognitive function in selected studies
Table S1 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Methods summary ratings of quality of individual studies
Table S2 Characteristics of excluded studies
Table S3 Grouping of cognitive tests and studies of cognitive function
WilliamsonJDEspelandMKritchevskySBChanges in cognitive function in a randomized trial of physical activity: results of the lifestyle interventions and independence for elders pilot studyJ Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci200964A68869419244157 KlusmannVEversASchwarzerRComplex mental and physical activity in older women and cognitive performance: a 6-month randomized controlled trialJ Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci201065A68068820418350 BusseALFilhoWMagaldiREffects of resistance training exercise on cognitive performance in elderly individuals with memory impairment: results of a controlled trialEinstein20086402407 Smiley-OyenALowryKFrancoisSKohutMEkkekakisPExercise, fitness, and neurocognitive function in older adults: the selective improvement and cardiovascular fitness hypothesesAnn Behav Med20083628029118825471 NagamatsuLSMaHHsuTResistance training promotes cognitive and functional brain plasticity in seniors with probable mild cognitive impairmentArch Intern Med201217266666822529236 NguyenMHKruseAA randomized controlled trial of Tai chi for balance, sleep quality and cognitive performance in elderly VietnameseClin Interv Aging2012718519022807627 KuPWStevinsonCChenLJProspective associations between leisure-time physical activity and cognitive performance among older adults across an 11-year periodJ Epidemiol20122223023722343329 YaffeKA prospective study of physical activity and cognitive decline in elderly women: women who walkArch Intern Med20011611703170811485502 BuchmanASBoylePAYuLShahRCWilsonRSBennettDATotal daily physical activity and the risk of AD and cognitive decline in older adultsNeurology2012781323132922517108 SchuitAJFeskensEJLaunerLJKromhoutDPhysical activity and cognitive decline, the role of the apolipoprotein e4 alleleMed Sci Sports Exerc20013377277711323547 LarsonEBWangLBowenJDExercise is associated with reduced risk for incident dementia among persons 65 years of age and olderAnn Intern Med2006144738116418406 WangLPerformance-based physical function and future dementia in older peopleArch Intern Med20061661115112016717174 GedaYERobertsRKnopmanDPhysical exercise, aging, and mild cognitive impairment: a population-based studyArch Neurol201067808620065133 BixbyWRSpaldingTWHauflerAThe unique relation of physical activity to executive function in older men and womenMed Sci Sports Exerc2007391408141617762375 MiuDKYSzetoSLMakYFA randomized controlled trial on the effect of exercise on physical, cognitive, and affective function in dementia subjectsAsian J Gerontol Geriatr20083816 MiddletonLEManiniTMSimonsickEMActivity energy expenditure and incident cognitive impairment in older adultsArch Intern Med20111711251125721771893 LytleMEVander BiltJPandavRSDodgeHHGanguliMExercise level and cognitive decline: the MoVIES projectAlzheimer Dis Assoc Disord201218576415249848 WangHXJinYHendrieHCLate life leisure activities and risk of cognitive declineJ Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci20126820521322879456 RavagliaGFortiPLucicesareAPNRiettiEBianchinMDalmonteEPhysical activity and dementia risk in the elderly: findings from a prospective Italian studyNeurology2008701786179418094335 TaaffeDRIrieFMasakiKHPhysical activity, physical function, and incident dementia in elderly men: the Honolulu-Asia Aging StudyJ Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci20086352953518511759 van GelderBMTijhuisMARKalmijnSGiampaoliSNissinenAKromhoutDPhysical activity in relation to cognitive decline in elderly men: the FINE studyNeurology2004632316232115623693 CassilhasRVianaVGrassmannVThe impact of resistance exercise on the cognitive function of the elderlyMed Sci Sports Exerc2007391401140717762374 MuscariAGiannoniCPierpaoliLChronic endurance exercise training prevents aging-related cognitive decline in healthy older adults: a randomized controlled trialInt J Geriatr Psychiatry2010251055106420033904 MortimerJADingDBorensteinARChanges in brain volume and cognition in a randomized trial of exercise and social interaction in a community-based sample of non-demented Chinese eldersJ Alzheimers Dis20123075776622451320 LaurinDVerreaultRLindsayJMacPhersonKRockwoodKPhysical activity and risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in elderly personsArch Neurol20015849850411255456 PodewilsLJGuallarEKullerLHPhysical activity, APOE genotype, and dementia risk: findings from the Cardiovascular Health Cognition StudyAm J Epidemiol200516163965115781953 ScarmeasNPhysical activity, diet, and risk of Alzheimer diseaseJAMA200930262763719671904 AndelRCroweMPedersenNLFratiglioniLJohanssonBGatzMPhysical exercise at midlife and risk of dementia three decades later: a population-based study of Swedish twinsJ Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci2008631626618245762 BakerLDFrankLLFoster-SchubertKEffects of aerobic exercise on mild cognitive impairment: a controlled trialArch Neurol2010671717920065132 BarnesDEYaffeKSatarianoWATagerIBA longitudinal study of cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive function in healthy older adultsJ Am Geriatr Soc20035145946512657064 BrownADMcMorrisCALongmanRSEffects of cardiorespiratory fitness and cerebral blood flow on cognitive outcomes in older womenNeurobiol Aging2010312047205719111937 ChangMJonssonPVSnaedalJThe effect of midlife physical activity on cognitive function among older adults: AGES–Reykjavik StudyJ Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci2010651369137420805238 ColcombeSJKramerAFEricksonKICardiovascular fitness, cortical plasticity, and agingProc Natl Acad Sci USA20041013316332114978288 DevoreEEKangJHOkerekeOGrodsteinFPhysical activity levels and cognition in women with type 2 diabetesAm J Epidemiol20091701040104719729385 EtgenTSanderDHuntgeburthUPoppertHForstlHBickelHPhysical activity and incident cognitive impairment in elderly persons: the INVADE studyArch Intern Med201017018619320101014 FabreCChamariKMucciPMasse-BironJPrefautCImprovement of cognitive function by mental and/or individualized aerobic training in healthy elderly subjectsInternational Journal of Sports Medicine20022341542112215960 FloelARuscheweyhRKrugerKPhysical activity and memory functions: are neurotrophins and cerebral gray matter volume the missing link?NeuroImage2010492756276319853041 GillumRFObisesanTOPhysical activity, cognitive function, and mortality in a US national cohortAnn Epidemiol20102025125720171901 HassettLMMoseleyAMTateRHarmerARFitness training for cardiorespiratory conditioning after traumatic brain injuryCochrane Database Syst Rev2008CD00612318425937 KasaiJYTBusseALMagaldiRMEffects of Tai Chi Chuan on cognition of elderly women with mild cognitive impairmentEinstein (16794508)201084045 LautenschlagerNTCoxKLFlickerLEffect of physical activity on cognitive function in older adults at risk for Alzheimer disease: a randomized trialJAMA20083001027103718768414 Liu-AmbroseTDonaldsonMGAhamedYOtago home-based strength and balance retraining improves executive functioning in older fallers: a randomized controlled trialJ Am Geriatr Soc2008561821183018795987 McAuleyESzaboANMaileyELNon-exercise estimated cardiorespiratory fitness: associations with brain structure, cognition, and memory complaints in older adultsMent Health Phys Act2011451121808657 McAuleyEBlissmerBMarquezDXJeromeGJKramerAFKatulaJSocial relations, physical activity, and well-being in older adultsPrev Med20003160861711071843 NetzYArgovEInbarOFitness’s moderation of the facilitative effect of acute exercise on cognitive flexibility in older womenJ Aging Phys Act20091715416619451665 O’DwyerSTBurtonNWPachanaNABrownWJProtocol for Fit Bodies, Fine Minds: a randomized controlled trial on the affect of exercise and cognitive training on cognitive functioning in older adultsBMC Geriatr200772317915035 OjofeitimiEOIjadunolaKTJegedeVANutritional status and physical activity in relation to cognitive function in a group of elderly in NigeriaJournal of Nutrition For the Elderly2002224962 ParekhPIBlumenthalJABabyakMAGas exchange and exercise capacity affect neurocognitive performance in patients with lung diseasePsychosom Med20056742543215911906 RovioSKåreholtIHelkalaELLeisure-time physical activity at midlife and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s diseaseLancet Neurol2005470571116239176 RovioSKåreholtIViitanenMWork-related physical activity and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s diseaseInt J Geriatr Psychiatry20072287488217721898 ScherderEJVan PaasschenJDeijenJBPhysical activity and executive functions in the elderly with mild cognitive impairmentAging Ment Health2005927228016019281 ShubertTEMcCullochKHartmanMGiulianiCAThe effect of an exercise-based balance intervention on physical and cognitive performance for older adults: a pilot studyJ Geriatr Phys Ther20103315716421717919 VercambreMNGrodsteinFMansonJEStampferMJKangJHPhysical activity and cognition in women with vascular conditionsArch Intern Med20111711244125021771894 VergheseJLiptonRBKatzMJLeisure activities and the risk of dementia in the elderlyN Engl J Med20033482508251612815136 Voelcker-RehageCGoddeBStaudingerUMPhysical and motor fitness are both related to cognition in old ageEuro J Neurosci201031167176 WeuveJKangJHMansonJEBretelerMMWareJHGrodsteinFPhysical activity, including walking, and cognitive function in older womenJAMA20042921454146115383516 WolinskyFDUnverzagtFWSmithDMJonesRWrightETennstedtSLThe effects of the ACTIVE cognitive training trial on clinically relevant declines in health-related quality of lifeJ Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci200661S281S28716960242 Smiley-OyenALLowryKAFrancoisSJKohutMLEkkekakisPExercise, fitness, and neurocognitive function in older adults: the “selective improvement” and “cardiovascular fitness” hypothesesAnn Behav Med20083628029118825471 WilliamsonJDEspelandMKritchevskySBChanges in cognitive function in a randomized trial of physical activity: results of the lifestyle interventions and independence for elders pilot studyJ Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci20096468869419244157 KlusmannVEversASchwarzerRComplex mental and physical activity in older women and cognitive performance: a 6-month randomized controlled trialJ Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci20106568068820418350 NguyenMHKruseAA randomized controlled trial of Tai chi for balance, sleep quality and cognitive performance in elderly VietnameseClin Interv Aging2012718519022807627 NagamatsuLSHandyTCHsuCLVossMLiu-AmbroseTResistance training promotes cognitive and functional brain plasticity in seniors with probable mild cognitive impairmentArch Intern Med201217266666822529236 BusseALFilhoWJMagaldiRMEffects of resistance training exercise on cognitive performance in elderly individuals with memory impairment: results of a controlled trialEinstein20086402407 LytleMEVander BiltJPandavRSDodgeHHGanguliMExercise level and cognitive decline: the MoVIES projectAlzheimer Dis Assoc Disord200418576415249848 MiuDKYSzetoSLMakYFA randomized controlled trial on the effect of exercise on physical, cognitive, and affective function in dementia subjectsAsian J Gerontol Geriatr20083816 MuscariAGiannoniCPierpaoliLChronic endurance exercise training prevents aging-related cognitive decline in healthy older adults: a randomized controlled trialInt J Geriatr Psychiatry2010251055106420033904 RavagliaGFortiPLucicesareAPhysical activity and dementia risk in the elderly: findings from a prospective Italian studyNeurology2008701786179418094335 SchuitAJFeskensEJLaunerLJKromhoutDPhysical activity and cognitive decline, the role of the apolipoprotein e4 alleleMed Sci Sports Exerc20013377277711323547 van GelderBMTijhuisMAKalmijnSGiampaoliSNissinenAKromhoutDPhysical activity in relation to cognitive decline in elderly men: the FINE StudyNeurology2004632316232115623693 LaurinDVerreaultRLindsayJMacPhersonKRockwoodKPhysical activity and risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in elderly personsArch Neurol20015849850411255456 MiddletonLEManiniTMSimonsickEMActivity energy expenditure and incident cognitive impairment in older adultsArch Intern Med20111711251125721771893 PodewilsLJGuallarEKullerLHPhysical activity, APOE genotype, and dementia risk: findings from the Cardiovascular Health Cognition StudyAm J Epidemiol200516163965115781953 YaffeKA prospective study of physical activity and cognitive decline in elderly women: Women who walkArchives of Internal Medicine20011611703170811485502 BixbyWRSpaldingTWHauflerAJThe unique relation of physical activity to executive function in older men and womenMed Sci Sports Exerc2007391408141617762375 CassilhasRCVianaVAGrassmannVThe impact of resistance exercise on the cognitive function of the elderlyMed Sci Sports Exerc2007391401140717762374 TaaffeDRIrieFMasakiKHPhysical activity, physical function, and incident dementia in elderly men: the Honolulu-Asia Aging StudyJ Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci20086352953518511759 WangHXJinYHendrieHCLate life leisure activities and risk of cognitive declineJ Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci20136820521322879456 WangLLarsonEBBowenJDvan BelleGPerformance-based physical function and future dementia in older peopleArch Intern Med20061661115112016717174