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Introduction: Engaging in aerobic exercise is a well-established and accessible approach to enhancing inhibitory control and supporting brain health across the lifespan. Building on this evidence, the present study aimed to examine the overall neural changes in inhibitory control associated with aerobic exercise by applying the activation likelihood estimation (ALE) method. Methods: Activation likelihood estimation (ALE), a coordinate-based meta-analysis technique, was employed to identify consistent patterns of brain activation across multiple experiments. In this approach, activation foci are represented as probability distributions centered on their reported coordinates. Results: A total of five studies were included in this analysis. Peak activations were identified in the right Inferior Parietal Lobule, right Superior Parietal Lobule, left Precuneus, and left Cuneus. Conclusions: The current ALE meta-analysis shows that moderate intensity aerobic exercise, particularly cycling, consistently engages the inferior and superior parietal lobules, precuneus, and cuneus, regions that are essential for attentional regulation, visuospatial functions, and the integration of sensory input that supports effective inhibitory control.
Keywords: Aerobic exercise, cycling, moderate intensity, inhibitory control, ALE meta-analysis
