The role of physical exercise in cognitive recovery after traumatic brain injury: A systematic review.

Restor Neurol Neurosci

Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Published: November 2016

Background: There is a growing body of evidence revealing exercise-induced effects on brain structure and cognitive function across the lifespan. Animal models of traumatic brain injury also suggest exercise is capable of modulating not only the pathophysiological changes following trauma but also the associated cognitive deficits.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of physical exercise on cognitive impairment following traumatic brain injury in humans.

Methods: A systematic search of the PubMed database was performed using the search terms "cognition" and "executive function, memory or attention", "traumatic brain injury" and "physical exercise". Adult human traumatic brain injury studies that assessed cognitive function as an outcome measure (primary or secondary) and used physical exercise as a treatment (single or combined) were assessed by two independent reviewers. Data was extracted under the guidance of the population intervention comparison outcome framework wherein, characteristics of included studies (exercise duration, intensity, combined or single intervention, control groups and cognitive measures) were collected, after which, methodological quality (Cochrane criteria) was assessed.

Results: A total of 240 citations were identified, but only 6 met our inclusion criteria (3 from search records, 3 from reference lists. Only a small number of studies have evaluated the effect of exercise on cognition following traumatic brain injury in humans, and of those, assessment of efficacy is difficult due to low methodological strength and a high risk of different types of bias.

Conclusion: Evidence of an effect of physical exercise on cognitive recovery suggests further studies should explore this treatment option with greater methodological approaches. Recommendations to reduce risk of bias and methodological shortfalls are discussed and include stricter inclusion criteria to create homogenous groups and larger patient pools, more rigorous cognitive assessments and the study and reporting of additional and combined rehabilitation techniques.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/RNN-160687DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

traumatic brain
20
brain injury
20
physical exercise
16
exercise cognitive
12
cognitive
8
cognitive recovery
8
cognitive function
8
inclusion criteria
8
exercise
7
brain
7

Similar Publications

Concussions are a common form of mild traumatic brain injury characterized by a transient alteration of cerebral function leading to a range of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms. Postconcussive symptoms (PCSs) usually resolve in about a week but can persist in 10% to 15% of patients. If left untreated, PCS can profoundly affect a patient's life.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The pathomechanism of blast traumatic brain injury (TBI) and blunt TBI is different. In blast injury, evidence indicates that a single blast exposure can often manifest long-term neurological impairments. However, its pathomechanism is still elusive, and treatments have been symptomatic.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Research on older adults who sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) has predominantly been on civilian, nonveteran populations. Military populations experience higher rates of TBI and often experience the additive effects of TBI and other comorbid disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder and/or substance use that may increase disability over time.

Objective: To investigate predictors of functional independence trajectories over the 5 years after TBI in veterans 55 years or older at injury.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In modern war theaters, exposures to blast overpressures are one of the most common causes of brain injury. These pervasive events result in acute and chronic cerebrovascular degenerative processes. Using a rat model of blast-induced mild traumatic brain injury, we identified intramural periarterial hematomas as early primary acute lesions induced by blast exposures.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Accelerated fracture healing accompanied with traumatic brain injury: A review of clinical studies, animal models and potential mechanisms.

J Orthop Translat

January 2025

Musculoskeletal Research Laboratory of Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology and Innovative Orthopaedic Biomaterial & Drug Translational Research Laboratory, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.

The orthopaedic community frequently encounters polytrauma individuals with concomitant traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their fractures demonstrate accelerated fracture union, but the mechanisms remain far from clear. Animal and clinical studies demonstrate robust callus formation at the early healing process and expedited radiographical union. In humans, robust callus formation in TBI occurs independently of fracture fixation methods across multiple fracture sites.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!