TL;DR: In a tiny pilot study, a few minutes on an exercise bike boosted thinking speed scores by about 7 points in healthy adults but only about 2 points in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. With 10 people per group, it is an early clue, not a firm result. Key Findings 20 adults: 10 with …
TL;DR: Among 112 older adults in Spain with mild cognitive impairment, those who reported more physical activity and felt more supported by family and friends scored better on several thinking tests. The study took one snapshot, so it cannot show that activity or support protects thinking. Key Findings 112 adults, average age 71: All had …
TL;DR: In a small Spanish trial, people with early Parkinson’s who did 12 weeks of strength training, with or without added thinking tasks, got faster on a walking test and stronger on a chair-stand test than people who did not exercise. Adding the thinking tasks gave no clear extra benefit. Key Findings 24 people, 3 …
TL;DR: Teenage girls on a national youth soccer team who swapped two practices a week for weight training got stronger and did better on a classic focus test than teammates who kept their usual practice. Blood markers often linked to brain growth did not change. Key Findings 22 players, 12 weeks: Weight training plus soccer …
TL;DR: People recovering from stress-related exhaustion who did 12 weeks of computer brain training showed larger gains in thinking scores over 4.5 years than people who got rehab alone. Indoor cycling did not show the same lasting edge, but only 56 of 132 people came back. Key Findings Brain training held up: Bigger gains than …
TL;DR: In a small Polish trial of 22 children aged 6 to 9 with coordination problems, coordination exercises with and without moves that cross the body’s center line both improved movement planning and two-sided coordination. Final scores were about the same in both groups. Key Findings 22 children finished: Out of 32 who started, split …
TL;DR: In a 40-person stroke rehab trial, people who did video-game balance training with a tight cuff on the weak thigh improved balance, walking and leg strength more over 4 weeks than people doing the same training without the cuff. The trial was small, short and had no fake-cuff comparison. Key Findings 40 stroke patients, …
TL;DR: When 18 healthy adults walked on a treadmill wearing a powered ankle exoskeleton, their stride lengths varied more from step to step, but their lower legs and feet moved more steadily. Their overall walking rhythm did not change. Key Findings More step-to-step variation: Stride-length variability rose from 1.9% to 2.8%. Steadier near the device: …
TL;DR: Six weeks of home “static hold” arm training made untrained young men about 27% stronger and increased how fast they built up force by about 60%. Brain-to-muscle signals changed too, but tests of a proposed brainstem pathway gave mixed results. Key Findings Stronger fast: Maximum elbow-bending force rose about 27% in trained groups. Quicker …
TL;DR: Across 12 small trials, people with Parkinson’s who trained on walking robots scored a bit better on balance and a timed walking test than people who got other therapy. The evidence is low quality, so the true benefit may be smaller. Key Findings 12 randomized trials: Mostly from China and Italy, mostly mild to …
