Which cognitive tests are used to examine the short-term effect of physical activity on cognition in healthy adults aged 50 and older? - a systematic review

Objectives: The review aims to create an overview of current evidence on the short-term effect of physical activity (PA) on cognition in adults aged 50 and older, focusing on which cognitive domains, cognitive tests, and outcomes are used, and whether effects were demonstrated. Methods: The MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central databases were searched for articles assessing the short-term effect of PA on cognition in healthy adults aged 50 and older. Results: Forty-two articles were included, using a variety of protocols. Executive functioning was the most frequently assessed cognitive domain. Overall, thirty-five different cognitive tests were adminis-tered, among which many variations and modifications were found. Furthermore, the reported out-comes varied greatly, even when using the same test. Across tests, 45.3% of the reported outcomes demonstrated an improvement in cognition shortly after PA. Time-based outcomes demonstrated an improvement more often than accuracy-based outcomes. However, because of the large variety among protocols and often insufficiently nuanced reporting, results should be interpreted carefully. Conclusions: The short-term effect of PA on executive functioning in older adults has been examined frequently, but research in other cognitive domains is limited. The variety among study protocols and test outcomes highlights the need for more rigorous research and reporting.