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May 7, 2026Open Access

Cognitive Improvement in Methamphetamine-Dependent Males: A Randomized Trial Comparing Different Exercise Interventions with Behavioral and fNIRS Evidence

Key Points

This research aims to explore the impact of different exercise interventions on cognitive function in methamphetamine-dependent males.
Randomized, assessor-blind, controlled design
162 male participants in compulsory isolation
Four intervention groups: traditional training, aerobic exercise, multimodal cognitive exercise, control
8-week intervention period, cognitive assessment with Stroop task and fNIRS measurements
Aerobic exercise improved Stroop task accuracy and increased brain activation in frontal areas
Traditional regimen training also enhanced cognitive scores and reduced choice reaction times
Multimodal training showed the most significant improvements in cognitive performance and brain activation

Abstract

Background: Long-term methamphetamine use disrupts brain function and impairs cognition. Currently, there is a lack of effective treatments for cognitive dysfunction in this population. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different exercise interventions on cognitive function and brain activation in methamphetamine-dependent individuals and to explore the potential neural mechanisms underlying cognitive improvement. Methods: In this randomized, assessor-blind, controlled study, 162 male methamphetamine-dependent individuals in compulsory isolation were randomly assigned to one of four groups: traditional regimen training (TR, n = 41), aerobic exercise (AE, n = 40), multimodal cognitive exercise training (MC, n = 40), and a control group (MA, n = 41). All participants completed an 8-week intervention. Cognitive function was assessed before and after the intervention using the Stroop task, while fNIRS was used to measure task-related hemodynamic responses. In addition, the Memory and Executive Screening (MES) and choice reaction time tests were used to evaluate cognitive and psychomotor performance. Results: After 8 weeks, traditional regimen training (p = 0.006), aerobic exercise (p = 0.024), and multimodal cognitive exercise training (p < 0.001) all significantly improved Stroop task accuracy. Aerobic exercise significantly increased activation in L-DLPFC (p = 0.044), R-DLPFC (p = 0.036), and L-FPA (p = 0.038), improved MES-T scores (p < 0.001) and shortened choice reaction time (p < 0.001). Traditional regimen training increased L-DLPFC activation (p = 0.026), improved MES-T scores (p < 0.001), and shortened choice reaction time (p < 0.001). Multimodal cognitive exercise training increased activation in L-DLPFC (p = 0.006), R-DLPFC (p = 0.014), and L-FPA (p = 0.002), improved MES-T scores (p < 0.001) and shortened choice reaction time (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Cognitive impairment in methamphetamine-dependent individuals may be associated with reduced prefrontal functional activity. Different exercise modalities produced different patterns of cognitive improvement and brain activation, with multimodal cognitive exercise training showing the largest overall benefit.

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Cite This Study

Zhang et al. (Fri,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69fbefa3164b5133a91a38fb https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16050451

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