Effects of Physical Exercise on Cognitive Functioning and Wellbeing: Biological and Psychological Benefits

Mandolesi, Laura; Polverino, Arianna; Montuori, Simone; Foti, Francesca; Ferraioli, Giampaolo; Sorrentino, Pierpaolo; Sorrentino, Giuseppe

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00509

Cited by 538 publications

(427 citation statements)

References 144 publications

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“…The importance of exercise for physical and psychological health Regular physical exercise plays an important role on both physical and psychological factors such as weight management, physical fitness, well-being, and enjoyment (Mandolesi, Polverino, Montuori et al, 2018). Hence, individuals engage in physical exercise for different motives, motivations, and needs (Ingledew & Markland, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of dark‐side of motivation and intention to continue in exercise: A self‐determination theory approach

Rodrigues

Teixeira

Cid³

et al. 2019

Scandinavian J Psychology

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Motivation plays an important role when it comes to regular physical exercise. Hence, low levels of intentions to continue exercising in the future may ultimately lead to higher rates of exercise dropout. The first objective of the present research was to test a theoretical model considering the dark side of motivational determinants on intentions towards exercising in the future. The second objective consisted in comparing groups with different characteristics, as a way to identify individuals with weaker intention, which is believed to be an indicator of a higher dropout risk. In total, 544 (294 female; 250 male) gym exercisers aged between 18 and 58 years (M = 35.00; SD = 11.57) partook in the present research. Participants were engaged in fitness group classes (n = 273) or in cardio/resistance workouts (n = 271), and their exercise experience ranged from 3 to 120 months (M = 47.41; SD = 7.54). Results showed that the measurement and the structural model had an excellent fit. In addition, the structural model was invariant between gender, fitness activities, and exercise experience. Each group displayed different explained variance in intention to continue exercising. Overall, male, young adults and more experienced exercisers had stronger intentions towards exercising. Fitness instructors should be aware of their own thwarting behaviors, especially when interacting with female, young and less experienced exercisers, since they have weaker intentions to exercise in the future, possibly representing an increased risk of withdrawal.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of dark‐side of motivation and intention to continue in exercise: A self‐determination theory approach

Rodrigues

Teixeira

Cid³

et al. 2019

Scandinavian J Psychology

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“…Benefits to nervous system function, including learning and memory enhancement, are documented outcomes of mammalian exercise [45][46][47][48]. We therefore tested whether long-term exercise improves associative neuronal functions in adult C. elegans.…”

Section: Learning Ability Is Enhanced In Exercised C Elegansmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Numerous studies in animal models and humans show that exercise can improve cognitive function and reduce the risk of developing dementia later in life [45][46][47][48]. However, the effect of exercise on dementia patients is not clear, with outcomes of published studies ranging from detrimental to beneficial effects of exercise [61][62][63][64][65].…”

Section: Systemic Benefits Of Exercise One Of the Pressing Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Swim exercise in C. elegans extends neuromuscular and intestinal healthspan, enhances learning ability, and protects against neurodegeneration

Laranjeiro

Harinath

Hewitt

et al. 2019

Preprint

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Exercise can protect against cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, diabetes, cancer, and age-associated declines in muscle, immune, and cognitive function. In fact, regular physical exercise is the most powerful intervention known to enhance robustness of health and aging.Still, the molecular and cellular mechanisms that mediate system-wide exercise benefits remain poorly understood, especially as applies to "off target" tissues that do not participate directly in training activity. Elaborating molecular mechanisms of whole-animal exercise benefits is therefore of considerable importance to human health. The development of exercise protocols for short-lived genetic models holds great potential for deciphering fundamental mechanisms of exercise trans-tissue signaling during the entire aging process. Here, we report on the optimization of a long-term swim exercise protocol for C. elegans and we demonstrate its benefits to diverse aging tissues, even if exercise occurs only during a restricted phase during early adulthood. We found that multiple daily swim sessions are essential for exercise adaptation in C. elegans, leading to body wall muscle improvements in structural gene expression, locomotory performance, and mitochondrial morphology. Swim exercise training enhances whole-animal health parameters such as mitochondrial respiration and mid-life survival and increases the functional healthspan of pharynx and intestine. Importantly, we show that swim exercise also enhances nervous system health: exercise increases learning ability of adult animals and protects against neurodegeneration in C. elegans models of tauopathy, Alzheimer's disease, and Huntington's disease. An important point is that swim training only during C. elegans early adulthood induces long-lasting systemic benefits that in several cases are still detectable well into mid-life. Overall, our data reveal the broad impact of swim exercise in promoting extended healthspan of multiple C. elegans tissues, underscore the potency of early exercise experience to influence long-term health (even after cessation of exercise), and establish the foundation for exploiting the powerful advantages of this genetic model to dissect the exercise-dependent molecular circuitry that confers long-lasting system-wide health benefits to aging or diseased adults.

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“…In contrast, healthy activity and exercise patterns confer many benefits, as they may reduce mortality, health care expenditures, and risks of cardiovascular disease, stroke, depression, and multiple cancers . Exercise improves fat and lean mass, alleviates metabolic syndrome, promotes cognitive function, and prevents neurological decline . Although it is clearly vital to optimize exercise and activity across the ages, public health practitioners struggle to promote healthy behaviors in society as a whole.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(2) Exercise improves fat and lean mass, (3) alleviates metabolic syndrome, (4) promotes cognitive function, and prevents neurological decline. (5) Although it is clearly vital to optimize exercise and activity across the ages, public health practitioners struggle to promote healthy behaviors in society as a whole.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Geriatric Exercise Program May Yield Multiple Benefits

Dowthwaite

2019

Journal of Bone and Mineral Research

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Effects of Physical Exercise on Cognitive Functioning and Wellbeing: Biological and Psychological Benefits

Cited by 538 publications

References 144 publications

The role of dark‐side of motivation and intention to continue in exercise: A self‐determination theory approach

The role of dark‐side of motivation and intention to continue in exercise: A self‐determination theory approach

Swim exercise in C. elegans extends neuromuscular and intestinal healthspan, enhances learning ability, and protects against neurodegeneration

A Geriatric Exercise Program May Yield Multiple Benefits

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