Neural Plasticity

Review Article

The Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in People with Neurological Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 1

Study characteristics.


Study	Population	Design, quality	Groups	Program duration	Dose, intensity	Mode	Time of measure	Postprogram outcome	Single bout outcome

Angelucci et al. [25]	Parkinson’s disease ()	Pre-post	PD exercise	4 weeks	40 min 5 days/wk ≤60% HRR	Treadmill & bike ergometer	At rest	BDNF NSD Pre-post
Bansi et al. [26, 36]	Multiple sclerosis ()	RCT	MS aqua bike versus MS land bike	3 weeks	30 min 5 days/wk 60% VO₂ peak	Aqua bike & land bike ergometer	At rest & postexercise	BDNF ↑ postaqua ex , NSD land p = 0.69	BDNF ↑ postaqua ex , NSD land p = 0.585
Bhasin et al. [27]	Stroke ()	Pre-post	Stroke exercise	8 weeks	10 min 5 days/wk	Bike ergo step ups/down	At rest	BDNF NSD
Briken et al. [28]	Multiple sclerosis ()	RCT	MS exercise versus MS no exercise	9 weeks	15–45 min 2-3 days/wk 120–130% of AT	Arm ergo rower bike ergo	At rest & postexercise	BDNF NSD between groups postex	BDNF ↑ postex postex
Castellano and White [29]	Multiple sclerosis (), healthy controls ()	QE	MS exercise versus healthy exercise	8 weeks	30 min 3 days/wk 60% VO₂ peak	Bike ergometer	At rest & postexercise	BDNF ↑ in MS at 4wks , NSD in MS at 8wks	BDNF NSD postex in MS
El-Tamawy et al. [30]	Stroke ()	CT	Stroke exercise versus stroke usual care	8 weeks	30 min 3 days/wk intensity not stated	Bike ergometer	At rest	BDNF ↑ postex , NSD control
Frazzitta et al. [31]	Parkinson’s disease ()	RCT	PD exercise versus PD no exercise	4 weeks	3 × 60 min 5 days/wk intensity not stated	Treadmill, strength & relaxation	At rest	BDNF ↑ postex , NSD control
Gold et al. [32]	Multiple sclerosis (), healthy controls ()	QE	MS exercise versus healthy exercise	Single bout	30 min 60% VO₂ max	Bike ergometer	Postexercise		BDNF ↑ both groups postex
Marusiak et al. [33]	Parkinson’s disease (), healthy controls ()	QE	PD exercise versus healthy no exercise	8 weeks	40 min 3 days/wk 68% HR max	Bike ergometer & interval training	At rest	BDNF ↑ postex , NSD control
Schulz et al. [34]	Multiple sclerosis ()	RCT	MS exercise versus MS no exercise	8 weeks	30 min 2 days/wk 75% max watts	Bike ergometer	At rest & postexercise	BDNF NSD between groups postex	BDNF NSD between groups postex
Wens et al. [35]	Multiple sclerosis ()	RCT	MS exercise versus MS usual care	24 weeks	20 min 2-3 days/wk BORG 12–14	Treadmill & bike ergo	At rest	BDNF ↑ postex but NSD BDNF ↓ control

PD: Parkinson’s disease; HRR: heart rate reserve; NSD: nonsignificant difference; RCT: randomised controlled trial; ex: exercise; MS: multiple sclerosis; VO₂: volume of oxygen; AT: anaerobic threshold; ergo: ergometer; QE: quasiexperimental; CT: controlled trial; HR: heart rate; BORG: rating of perceived exertion.