The Effects of Mind-Body Exercise on Cognitive Function and Peripheral Blood BDNF in Elderly People With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

To systematically evaluate the effects of mind-body exercise (MBE) on cognitive function and peripheral blood brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and to explore its intervention effects and potential biological mechanisms.

PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched from database inception to March 2026 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating various MBE interventions, including Tai Chi, Baduanjin, yoga, and mindfulness/meditation, in older adults with MCI. The primary outcomes included cognitive function (global cognitive function, verbal fluency, executive function, episodic memory, short-term memory, working memory, and processing speed and attention) and peripheral blood BDNF levels. Effect sizes were expressed as standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and pooled using fixed- or random-effects models according to heterogeneity. Sensitivity analyses and funnel plots were used to assess robustness and publication bias.

Seventeen randomized controlled trials involving 1251 participants were included. MBE significantly improved global cognitive function (SMD = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.55 to 1.09, p < 0.001), verbal fluency (SMD = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.25 to 0.91, p = 0.001), executive function (SMD = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.67, p = 0.005), episodic memory (SMD = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.26 to 0.92, p < 0.001), and short-term memory (SMD = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.27 to 0.81, p < 0.001) in older adults with MCI. Working memory showed a potential improvement, but the result was not robust in sensitivity analysis. No significant effects were observed for processing speed/attention (SMD = 0.12; 95% CI: -0.04 to 0.28; p = 0.131) or peripheral blood BDNF (SMD = 0.89; 95% CI: -0.12 to 1.89; p = 0.085). Subgroup analyses suggested greater benefits for Tai Chi-based interventions and for verbal fluency when intervention duration exceeded 12 weeks.

Mind-body exercise is beneficial for improving global cognitive function, verbal fluency, executive function, episodic memory, and short-term memory in older adults with MCI; however, evidence remains insufficient regarding its effects on processing speed and attention and peripheral blood BDNF levels. Tai Chi-based mind-body exercise and longer intervention durations may yield greater benefits. These findings support the use of mind-body exercise as an important adjunctive strategy for comprehensive intervention in older adults with MCI and provide a reference for optimizing exercise-based intervention programs in clinical and practical settings.