Research
Hormonal
Physical activity, particularly aerobic and resistance exercise, improves cognitive processes, memory, and brain health by increasing circulating neurotrophins (BDNF, IGF-1) and myokines that cross the blood-brain barrier to promote neuroplasticity and neurogenesis.
Engage in regular physical activity, combining aerobic and resistance exercises, to support brain health. You do not need extreme intensity; even walking while learning can boost memory. The key is consistency and moving more throughout the day to release beneficial factors like BDNF that support your brain.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
PA improves cognitive processes and memory... PA can reverse at least some of the unwanted effects of sedentary lifestyle, and can also contribute in delaying brain aging and degenerative pathologies... both endurance activity... and resistance exercise... induce an increase of circulating growth factors (such as insulin-like growth factor 1, IGF-1), and neurotrophins (such as the brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF)... these molecules can cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB)... and affect the functions of both neurons and glial cells, thus modifying neurotransmission
Why this rating
The paper is a review citing multiple studies and meta-analyses, but notes variability in outcomes.
Source
Physical Activity and Brain Health
Carlo Maria Di Liegro et al. · Genes · 2019
DOI 10.3390/genes10090720
narrative_reviewCited 359×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Physical activity induces epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation and histone modifications, which can alter gene expression related to mitochondrial function and brain plasticity, potentially creating an 'epigenetic memory' that affects long-term brain health.Good
- High-intensity interval training (HIT) may be more effective than continuous high-intensity exercise for elevating serum BDNF levels, and open-skill exercises (e.g., badminton) may increase BDNF more than closed-skill exercises (e.g., running).Moderate
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