Exercise helped a little, but not working memory.

The review

1. 01

   Who took part

   29 studies included 2,049 people, all with an average age of 18 or over. Most were older adults, and some had memory problems, depression, lung disease or other long-term illnesses.

2. 02

   What they did

   Most studies had people do brisk walking, jogging or biking, usually under supervision, about three times a week. The studies lasted from 6 weeks to 18 months. The other group did no aerobic exercise; most were still waiting to start, and some did stretching, health classes or relaxation.

3. 03

   What happened

   People who exercised did a little better on attention, thinking skills and memory, but not working memory. Only 13 of 29 studies had the tests scored by people who did not know the group. Only 7 kept everyone in their group, and the paper's totals do not add up.

What the review found

1. Helped

   Across 24 studies, exercise helped attention and speed a little more than other groups did.

   • Rule: With a coach or therapistused

   Pooled analysis of 24 studies · vs people who did no aerobic exercise

2. No difference

   Across 12 studies, exercise did not help working memory more than other groups did.

   • Rule: With a coach or therapistused

   Pooled analysis of 12 studies · vs people who did no aerobic exercise

Source