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Brain Sciences
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Advances in the Relationship Among Brain, Physical Function, and Exercise...
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Advances in the Relationship Among Brain, Physical Function, and Exercise Performance

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Sensory and Motor Neuroscience".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 January 2026 | Viewed by 331

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Luca Petrigna

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Anatomy, Histology and Movement Science, School of Medicine, University of Catania, via S. Sofia n° 97, 95123 Catania, Italy
Interests: dual task; cognitive science; sport science; physical performance; training
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Physical exercise and sporting activity help in the development of certain areas of the brain, protecting, maintaining, and improving its functions with acute and chronic adaptations. Therefore, movement is recommended at all ages, both in people who are healthy and those that suffer from pathological issues.

Scientific literature, through both direct or indirect studies, is beginning to pay more attention to the associations between physical and sporting activity and cognitive functioning, to central well-being, and to neurodegenerative diseases, in order to identify the ideal exercise frequency, intensity, type, time, conditions, and environment. 

Original studies and literature reviews, with or without meta-analysis, will be considered for publication in this Special Issue if they mainly focus on the following topics: physical and sports exercise and cognitive performance or brain health; training environments and the role of the brain in physical performance; physical and sports exercise in neurodegenerative diseases.

Contributions from different fields of study are welcome for submission in order to help us to understand the relationships between physical and sporting activity and the health and functioning of the brain.

Dr. Luca Petrigna
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • physical performance
  • dual task
  • cognition
  • sport
  • environment
  • cerebellum
  • movement
  • neurodegenerative disease

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

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16 pages, 3978 KiB  
Systematic Review
Impact of Flipped Classroom Instruction on Brain-Mediated Motor Skill Performance in University Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Kerui Liu, Zikang Hao, Jiping Chen, Qingxu Wu, Wei Jin, Yang Pan and Xianliang Zhang
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(5), 501; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15050501 - 14 May 2025
Viewed by 198
Abstract
Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates how the flipped classroom model—considered as a neurocognitive training environment—affects cognitive–motor integration and brain-mediated motor skill performance in university students, providing scientific evidence for optimizing higher-education physical education pedagogy (a course related to physical literacy and [...] Read more.
Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates how the flipped classroom model—considered as a neurocognitive training environment—affects cognitive–motor integration and brain-mediated motor skill performance in university students, providing scientific evidence for optimizing higher-education physical education pedagogy (a course related to physical literacy and the cultivation of physical and mental health, rather than a training program for professional physical education teachers). Methods: In order to compare the effects of flipped classroom and traditional teaching on the motor skill performance of university students, this study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis according to PRISMA rules, whereby studies were screened according to specific inclusion criteria and data were extracted, assessed for quality, and then meta-analyzed to assess the effectiveness of the flipped classroom model in improving motor skill performance. Results: A total of 12 original randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the study. The meta-analysis results indicated that the flipped classroom model significantly outperformed traditional teaching methods in improving university students’ motor skill scores (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 1.22, 95% CI = 0.64–1.79, p < 0.0001). Subgroup analysis showed significant effects in both general major students and sports science major students, with no significant difference between studies conducted in China and those conducted in non-China regions. Conclusions: The flipped classroom model demonstrates significant advantages over traditional PE teaching methods in improving motor skill performance. It enhances students’ skill acquisition and classroom engagement, showing promising potential for future implementation in university PE programs. Further research should explore the model’s applicability across different sports and student populations, as well as its long-term impact on skill retention and postgraduation sports participation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Relationship Among Brain, Physical Function, and Exercise Performance)
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