The effectiveness of respiratory training as a preventive strategy against cognitive decline: a mini review.
Th Zekis, E Grammatopoulou, D Tsimouris and 2 others
PMID 41877761WHAT IT FOUND
Respiratory muscle training shows inconsistent cognitive benefits.
One small study found improved memory and speed, but others showed no difference between training and sham. Evidence is too preliminary to recommend this for preventing cognitive decline.
Key findings
01One study found significant improvements in episodic memory and processing speed with high-intensity inspiratory muscle training compared to sham.
02Most other studies found no significant difference between respiratory muscle training and control groups, with benefits appearing only as within-group changes.
03The authors state that current evidence does not support definitive conclusions about the preventive efficacy of respiratory muscle training for cognitive decline.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The review includes only five studies with small sample sizes (n=16 to n=88). There is high heterogeneity in training protocols, populations, and outcome measures. Many studies lacked true non-training control groups, limiting causal inference. Most positive findings were within-group changes, not significant differences between training and control groups. The authors explicitly state the evidence is hypothesis-generating and not confirmatory.
The easy way to misread this
Do not recommend respiratory muscle training as an evidence-based intervention for preventing cognitive decline. The positive findings were limited to one small study, and the majority of evidence showed no significant benefit over sham or control conditions.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →