Cognitive-motor training – a narrative cornerstone review and systematic classification approach

J Sci Med Sport. 2026 Jul 13:S1440-2440(26)00284-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2026.07.007. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Cognitive-motor training consists of exercises combining cognitive and motor tasks (either applied sequentially or simultaneously) to stimulate both neurocognitive and motor domains. While evidence for the benefits of cognitive-motor training is well established in older adults (e.g., concerning falls as a clinical outcome), its clinical and scientific use nowadays extends toward the treatment of neurological diseases (e.g., multiple sclerosis), the assessment and treatment of sport-related concussion, and performance enhancement in athletes. The application of cognitive-motor training for this novel spectrum is, however, everything but homogeneous, both with respect to terminology and content. For example, depending on the disease or setting, the cognitive-motor training may involve different combinations of cognitive domains (e.g., memory, attention, cognitive speed, executive functions) and motor demands (e.g., endurance, strength, speed, coordination, flexibility). In this narrative cornerstone review, essential aspects of cognitive-motor training (terminology, indications, contents, and examples) are summarized. Neurocognitive domains and motor demands are systematically connected to provide a framework for comprehensive or tailored cognitive-motor training.

PMID:42580942 | DOI:10.1016/j.jsams.2026.07.007