Short-term effects of pilates and aerobic exercise on cognitive functions and biochemical factors in women with fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial.

In 30 seconds

This randomized controlled trial compared eight weeks of Pilates with aerobic exercise in 46 women aged 18–55 with fibromyalgia. Both groups exercised three times weekly and had statistically significant improvements in pain, disease impact, and kinesiophobia. Aerobic exercise was associated with greater gains in attention, executive function, and short-term memory than Pilates, alongside significant increases in serum irisin and BDNF; these biochemical changes were not statistically significant in the Pilates group. Higher irisin levels correlated positively with cognitive improvement. The study supports short-term benefits of both exercise programs, with stronger cognitive and biochemical findings for aerobic exercise.

Key findings

• Pain, fibromyalgia impact, and kinesiophobia improved significantly after eight weeks in both exercise groups (p < 0.05).
• Aerobic exercise produced more pronounced improvements in attention, executive function, and short-term memory than Pilates.
• Serum irisin and BDNF increased significantly in the aerobic group (p < 0.05); changes in the Pilates group were not statistically significant.
• Increased irisin levels were positively correlated with cognitive improvement.

Why it matters

Cognitive symptoms can accompany fibromyalgia, and these findings suggest that exercise may benefit both clinical symptoms and aspects of cognitive performance. The comparison indicates that aerobic exercise may offer greater short-term cognitive and biochemical changes than Pilates, while both programs improved reported clinical outcomes. The correlation between irisin and cognitive improvement is suggestive, but does not establish a causal mechanism.

What to keep in mind

The trial included 46 women and assessed outcomes only across an eight-week intervention; persistence of the effects was not established.