Browsing by Author "Cardoso, Sara Valverde"
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- Therapeutic importance of exercise in neuroplasticity in adults with neurological pathology: systematic reviewPublication . Cardoso, Sara Valverde; Fernandes, Sofia Rita; Tomás, Maria TeresaNeuroplasticity is an essential mechanism by which the nervous system shapes and adapts according to functional requirements. Evidence suggests that physical exercise induces a cascade of cellular processes that favors brain plasticity. The Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin closely linked to neuroplasticity that can be increased due to exercise. To verify the effects of therapeutic exercise on neuroplasticity and/or peripheral BDNF levels in neurological conditions in adults, such as stroke, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, and mild cognitive impairment, and address its clinical relevance in the treatment of neurological dysfunctions. A systematic review was carried out using PUBMED, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. Inclusion criteria were: randomized controlled trials or pilot studies; humans age > 18 yrs with a neurological condition; English language; score ≥ 6 on the PEDro Scale (moderate to high quality). Reviews, meta-analyses, and other articles that did not meet the criteria were excluded. The PRISMA methodology was applied for the studies’ selection. A total of 9 studies were selected for a systematic and comprehensive analysis. According to these studies, moderate to high-intensity aerobic exercise (AE), increases the level of peripheral BDNF and positively influences functional gains in neurological conditions. Larger outcomes are observed in protocols with a minimum session duration of 30 minutes, frequency of 3 times/week, and intervention duration of 4 weeks. Current evidence shows that moderate to high-intensity AE induces neuroplasticity in neurological patients, thus being a fundamental therapeutic strategy to include in interventions aiming to repair/delay neurological dysfunctions.