| A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF EXERCISE TRAINING ON CIRCULATING BDNF AND IGF-1 LEVELS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS |
| Paper ID : 1125-SPORTCONGRESS (R1) |
| Authors |
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Maryam Aghaeinejad, Maryam Saresangi, Mousa Khalafi * Department of Sport Science, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kashan |
| Abstract |
| Introduction: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) are well-established neuroprotective biomarkers that can be modulated by exercise training. However, the effects of exercise on these biomarkers in children and adolescents have been reported inconsistently. Therefore, the aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the impact of exercise training on circulating levels of BDNF and IGF-1 in children and adolescents. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Iranian databases from inception until December 6, 2023. Inclusion criteria were defined based on PICOS guidelines (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, Study design) as follows: children and adolescents aged 7–17 years; exercise training interventions lasting more than 2 weeks; studies including a control group or pre-test measurements; BDNF and/or IGF-1 measured in blood (serum or plasma); both single-group (without control) and two-group (with control) study designs. Effect sizes were calculated using standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) under a random-effects model. Results: A total of 21 studies involving 855 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The results demonstrated that exercise training significantly increased circulating BDNF levels with a medium effect size [SMD = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.11 to 0.91, P = 0.01]. In contrast, exercise training did not produce a significant effect on IGF-1 levels [SMD = 0.25, 95% CI: –0.11 to 0.61, P = 0.17]. Conclusion: Exercise training may provide beneficial effects on neurocognitive function and metabolic health in children and adolescents, primarily through increasing BDNF levels. However, no significant impact of exercise was observed on circulating IGF-1 levels, suggesting that other mechanisms may contribute to exercise-induced metabolic adaptations in this population. |
| Keywords |
| Exercise, BDNF, IGF-1, Children |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
