Objective:

To compare the effects of different types of exercise on inhibitory control in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), highlighting the significance of addressing inhibitory control deficits and the need for evidence-based non-pharmacological interventions.

Key Findings:

• The study included 45 studies with 2,358 participants (mean age 9.0 ± 2.6 years), with various control groups for comparison.
• Aerobic exercise (SMD = 0.71) and mind-body exercise (SMD = 0.81) significantly improved inhibitory control compared to the control group.
• Mind-body exercise had the highest SUCRA ranking (87.1), indicating it may be the optimal exercise modality for enhancing inhibitory control.

Interpretation:

Mind-body exercise may provide significant benefits for improving inhibitory control in children and adolescents with NDDs, offering a viable non-pharmacological intervention with important clinical implications.

Limitations:

• Potential influences from factors such as gender, age, and individual differences.
• Variability in exercise modalities and participant characteristics across studies may affect the generalizability of the findings.

Conclusion:

Mind-body exercise is suggested as the optimal exercise type for improving inhibitory control in children with neurodevelopmental disorders, warranting further research to confirm these findings and explore specific modalities and participant characteristics.