Effects of physical exercise on children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Yuan-Shuo Chan, Jia-Tzer Jang, Chin-Shan Ho · 2021 · 136 citationsRead the paper
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly neurodevelopmental disorders with a complex symptomatology in children, and frequently suffer from deficits in executive functions and motor abilities. Although medication-based treatments usually have a positive effect, possible side effects may result in a need for an adjunctive intervention. Present studies show positive effect of physical exercise on cognitive function. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is thoroughly examine the effects of physical exercise in children with ADHD. Preliminary evidence shows both acute and chronic physical exercise are beneficial to ADHD symptoms, executive function, and motor abilities. Benefits of acute exercise may gradually accumulate over time. Such benefits reflect the positive correlation between cognition and physical activity, and these benefits will also lead to changes in executive function after long-term training. Aerobic could induce to increase the neurotransmitter ie. serotonin, dopamine, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and brain blood flow. Perceptual motor and meditation could lead to neuroplasticity in nerve cells and synaptic connections; furthermore, strengthening the sensory-motor base contributes to the improvement of attention. An exercise program for children with ADHD include to moderate to high intensity interval training and cognitive tasks are suitable. The preliminary state of the evidence supports physical exercise as an adjunctive treatment for ADHD at this time.
What the full text shows
Shown in the lab- High-intensity interval training (HIIT) improves cognitive function and sustained attention. — 20 min of HIIT (Boys with ADHD aged 7–15 years)
- Combined exercise training improves complex information processing capacity and executive function. — 8 weeks of training (37 children with ADHD aged 8–11 years; included perceptual motor training and 20 min moderate-intensity interval training)
- Aquatic exercise improves accuracy and motor skill coordination related to impulsivity. — 8 weeks (twice weekly, 90 min per session) (Children with ADHD)
- Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise improves executive function. — 20 min single-bout (8–12-year-old children with ADHD vs. video-watching control)
- Rhythmic dancing improves attention. — 30 min session at 60% max heartbeat (14 children with ADHD (mean age 8 years))
- Physical exercise training is the most stable non-drug treatment for improving attention deficit symptoms. (Meta-analysis of 83 studies involving 4996 subjects)
- Setup
- Synthesis of multiple studies involving children and adolescents with ADHD, including a meta-analysis of 4996 subjects.
- How
- The paper is a review and synthesis of existing literature, including meta-analyses and individual clinical studies, to examine the neurophysiological and cognitive effects of various exercise intensities and models on children with ADHD.
- Limitations
- Some studies on mindfulness and meditation lacked control groups or had small sample sizes. · Single-bout exercises may not result in long-term cognitive changes or direct effects on learning outcomes. · High-intensity exercise may increase tic syndromes in children with comorbid Tourette syndrome.
Summarized by Gemma 4 from the open-access full text · 10 Oct 2026. Read it