Move Your Body, Boost Your Brain: The Positive Impact of Physical Activity on Cognition across All Age Groups

Abstract

While the physical improvements from exercise have been well documented over the years, the impact of physical activity on mental health has recently become an object of interest. Physical exercise improves cognition, particularly attention, memory, and executive functions. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects have yet to be fully understood. Consequently, we conducted a narrative literature review concerning the association between acute and chronic physical activity and cognition to provide an overview of exercise-induced benefits during the lifetime of a person. Most previous papers mainly reported exercise-related greater expression of neurotransmitter and neurotrophic factors. Recently, structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging techniques allowed for the detection of increased grey matter volumes for specific brain regions and substantial modifications in the default mode, frontoparietal, and dorsal attention networks following exercise. Here, we highlighted that physical activity induced significant changes in functional brain activation and cognitive performance in every age group and could counteract psychological disorders and neural decline. No particular age group gained better benefits from exercise, and a specific exercise type could generate better cognitive improvements for a selected target subject. Further research should develop appropriate intervention programs concerning age and comorbidity to achieve the most significant cognitive outcomes.

From Lab to Life: Exploring Cutting-Edge Models for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

“…To better understand and intervene in these complex and bidirectional relationships, a translational and multidisciplinary approach is needed that bridges the gap between basic and clinical research and incorporates different perspectives and methods from various disciplines [ 79 , 80 , 81 ]. In this context, the three articles published in this Special Issue of Biomedicines adopt such an approach and use various methods and data sources, such as epidemiological studies, randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and clinical guidelines, to provide evidence-based and comprehensive insights into the interactions between physical health and mental health in different populations and contexts [ 82 , 83 , 84 ]. Their results have important implications for the prevention and treatment of various neurological and psychiatric disorders.…”

“…The study by Festa et al highlights the positive impact of physical activity on cognition across all age groups, emphasizing the benefits of exercise on attention, memory, and executive functions. The study emphasizes the importance of better understanding the mechanisms underlying these effects, as well as the development of appropriate intervention programs based on age and comorbidity, in order to maximize the cognitive benefits of physical activity [ 83 ].…”

Periodontal Health and Its Relationship with Psychological Stress: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…This, in turn, can cause the mast cells to release pro-inflammatory molecules along with other neuropeptides and cytokines, ultimately leading to periodontal disease. [31,32] Recent in vitro studies suggest that elevated cortisol levels may play a role in the accelerated growth of P. gingivalis, a leading contributor to the development of gum disease. Furthermore, reduced immune function has been identified as a potential factor in worsening gingivitis and periodontitis.…”

Oxidative and Excitatory Neurotoxic Stresses in CRISPR/Cas9-Induced Kynurenine Aminotransferase Knock-Out Mice: A Novel Model for Experience-Based Depression and Post-traumatic Stress Disordertabolism: Insights From Novel Kynurenine Aminotransferase

“…Transgenic animals are vital in biomedical research, enabling the replication of human conditions through gene deletion or the introduction of altered genes into their genome (134). These animals offer indispensable insights into human diseases, facilitating the exploration of disease mechanisms, experimentation with potential treatments, and assessment of therapeutic effectiveness (135)(136)(137)(138)(139). Moreover, they offer crucial insights into changes in structure and imaging techniques in clinical cases (140)(141)(142)(143)(144)(145)(146)(147)(148)(149)(150)(151)(152)(153)(154)(155)(156)(157)(158).…”