Effects of Physical Activity, Exercise and Sport on Executive Function in Young People with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review.

Felipe Montalva-Valenzuela,Antonio Castillo-Paredes,Oscar Andrades-Ramírez

doi:10.3390/ejihpe12010006

Abstract

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that negatively affects the inattention, disorganization, and/or hyperactivity–impulsivity in children and adolescents who suffer from it, included cases being reported that continue into adulthood. This disorder impairs social, academic, emotional, psychological, and health system functioning due to its high cost of treatment. The present systematic review aims to analyze the effects of physical activity, exercise, and sports on the executive function in children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD through the scientific literature. The results show that the practice of physical activity, exercise, or sport produces improvements in executive function in children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD, mainly through aerobic exercise. A 20 min session of physical activity, sport, or exercise leads to improvements in executive functions in children and adolescents with ADHD. It can be concluded that the practice of physical activity, exercise, and sport generate improvements on executive functions in children and adolescents with ADHD, mainly through aerobic exercise.

Highlights

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental–mental disorder; its symptoms are disorganization and/or hyperactivity–impulsivity [1]
The findings found by the researchers pointed out that exercise causes similar benefits for cognitive flexibility in healthy children and children diagnosed with ADHD
The present systematic review showed the positive effects on executive function through the development of programs and interventions of physical activity, exercise, or sport, which could be used as programs and/or complementary interventions to the Physical Education class, which could be implemented with due caution

Summary

Introduction

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental–mental disorder; its symptoms are disorganization and/or hyperactivity–impulsivity [1]. The worldwide prevalence of this neurodevelopmental disorder is 6% [2], with a predominance of diagnoses in boys compared to girls, a prevalence of one girl for every three boys [3] This disorder has a negative impact on social, academic, emotional, and psychological functioning and generates high costs to society and the health system [4], where 60% of the cases of subjects diagnosed with ADHD continue into adulthood [5], given that sensory difficulties may be part of the ADHD phenotype [6]. Compared to control groups, ADHD patients have lower performance on tasks involving inhibition [9] This results in high difficulty in regulating and controlling attention processes, impulses and hyperactivity, emotions, following instructions, and socializing in familiar or educational settings, and problems in task completion [10,11]. Deficits in cognitive flexibility [13], planning, and organization [14,15] have been reported

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Conclusion