CC BY 4.0Pérez-RomeroN Campos-JaraC PesceC SierraltaSA Cerda-VegaE Ramirez-CampilloR Campos-JaraR Martinez-SalazarC Arellano-RocoC Contreras-OsorioSergio Araya Sierralta2025-06-052025-06-0520241932-6203 J9 PLOS ONEhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12740/22630IntroductionExecutive functions are commonly impaired in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Physical exercise has the potential for improving executive functions and can be easily implemented as a therapeutic method. However, there are only few systematic reviews of exercise effects in schizophrenia including cognitive outcomes, and no meta-analytical syntheses of effects on "cool" and "hot" executive functions. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis will be to determine the effects of physical exercise on "cool" and "hot" executive functions of adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.Methods and analysisThis protocol was guided by PRISMA-P guidelines. Studies will be searched using combinations of keywords and medical terms in the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCO databases. Inclusion criteria will be determined as per PICOS approach. The risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane RoB2 tool. The certainty of evidence (per outcome) will be assessed using the GRADE method. The meta-analyses will be performed using the DerSimonian and Laird random effects model. Effect sizes (Hedges' g) with 95% confidence intervals will be calculated for each main outcome.ConclusionsThe results of this review may be useful for mental health professionals to design treatment plans for adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, offering potential benefits related to the quality of life and cognitive abilities of this population.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42023392295. C1 [Perez-Romero, Nuria] Univ Andres Bello, Fac Rehabil Sci, Exercise & Rehabil Sci Inst, Santiago, Chile. [Campos-Jara, Christian; Cerda-Vega, Enrique; Contreras-Osorio, Falonn] Univ Andres Bello, Fac Rehabil Sci, Exercise & Rehabil Sci Inst, Santiago, Chile. [Pesce, Caterina] Univ Rome Foro Italico, Dept Movement Human & Hlth Sci, Rome, Italy. [Araya Sierralta, Sergio] Univ Atacama, Dept Educ Fis, Copiapo, Chile. [Ramirez-Campillo, Rodrigo] Univ Andres Bello, Exercise & Rehabil Sci Inst, Fac Rehabil Sci, Sch Phys Therapy, Santiago, Chile. [Campos-Jara, Rodrigo] Hosp Mauricio Heyermann, Serv Psiquiatria, Angol, Chile. [Martinez-Salazar, Cristian] Univ La Frontera, Sch Educ & Social Sci & Humanities, Dept Phys Educ Sports & Recreat Pedag Phys Educ, Temuco, Chile. [Arellano-Roco, Cristian] Univ Santiago de Chile, Escuela Kinesiol, Fac Ciencias Med, Lab Neuromecan Aplicada, Santiago, Chile. C3 Universidad Andres Bello; Universidad Andres Bello; Foro Italico University of Rome; Universidad de Atacama; Universidad Andres Bello; Universidad de La Frontera; Universidad de Santiago de Chileinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessScience & Technology - Other TopicsArticulo de revista10.1371/journal.pone.0296273