Xueming He,1 Chuming Liu,2 Zhaoyang Li,2 Xiaojun Cai1 

1Heilongjiang Academy of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150036, People’s Republic of China; 2Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Hei longjiang, 150040, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Xiaojun Cai, Department of Endocrinology, Heilongjiang Academy of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150036, People’s Republic of China, Email ssycxj@163.com

Abstract: Cognitive impairment has gradually become a serious social problem that endangers the normal life of elderly individuals. Traditional cognitive rehabilitation training (TCRT) is limited by family economic and medical insurance policies, making it difficult to sustain long-term rehabilitation training for patients with cognitive impairments. Leisure activities, as simple, efficient, and convenient intervention therapies, have been used for the rehabilitation of patients with cognitive impairment, but specific effects have not been reported. This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials evaluated the efficacy of leisure activity intervention versus TCRT control on cognitive function in patients with varying degrees of cognitive impairment. As of December 10, 2024, literature searches were conducted on PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Registry, and related databases. The PEDro scale was used to assess the risk of bias. A total of 20 randomized controlled trials (n = 1126) used mahjong, poker, VR, or other games. The results revealed that leisure activity intervention improved overall cognitive function (MOCA, P = 0.012; MMSE, P = 0.013), memory function (DSB, P < 0.0001; DSF, P = 0.015), and quality of life (ADL, P < 0001). In summary, leisure activities can serve as a complementary and alternative therapy to traditional cognitive rehabilitation training to improve some cognitive domains of patients with cognitive impairments (PROSPERO registration: CRD42025639157).

Keywords: leisure activities, mild cognitive impairment, alzheimer’s disease, complementary therapy, cognitive dysfunction, neuropsychological tests