Effect of Motor Exercises on Serum Level of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Executive Function in Children with Dysgraphia

Abstract

Background: Students with dysgraphia often find it challenging to organize, prioritize, and store information. These problems are known as poor executive function. On the other hand, the performance of motor exercises can affect cognitive and executive functions through the secretion of nerve growth factors. Objectives: The present study examined the effect of motor exercises on the serum level of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and executive function in children with dysgraphia. Methods: In this interventional study, 40 male third to fifth grade students with dysgraphia were selected through purposive sampling and randomly allocated to experimental and control groups. The exercise program including a set of motor exercises selected from the Lincoln-Oseretsky motor development scale was implemented for 12 weeks (three 45-minute sessions per week). Blood samples were taken 48 hours before the first session and 48 hours after the final session of fasting participants. Moreover, the Wisconsin card sorting task (WCST) was implemented to examine students’ executive function. Results: The analysis of covariance, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis were employed to analyze the data (P < 0.05). Results showed that, after a course of motor exercise, the serum level of BDNF and executive function were significantly increased. Moreover, results indicated a significant relationship between the serum level of BDNF and executive function. Conclusions: The present study revealed that motor exercises may improve executive function in children with dysgraphia by increasing the level of BDNF.