The DOI matches its Crossref record; 146 of the 147 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Joggin’ the Noggin: Towards a Physiological Understanding of Exercise-Induced Cognitive Benefits
Open accessAbstract
This narrative review examines literature pertaining to possible physiological explanations for observed cognitive benefits stemming from improvements to cardiovascular fitness following chronic aerobic exercise. Studies regarding exercise and cardiovascular fitness, angiogenesis, neuroinflammation in relation to IGF-1 signalling, regulation of neurotrophins, neurogenesis and plasticity, cognitive training, are briefly described. We propose that current evidence points towards a mechanism by which cardiovascular fitness improvements act to promote long-term angiogenesis and cerebral circulation. This important adaptation allows for increased delivery and upregulation of neurotrophins along with supporting factors to the brain, particularly to the hippocampal neurogenic niche, following acute exercise bouts. We propose a sequential timeline and approximate time scale for this mechanism, describing how these stages generate increased support for neurogenesis and brain plasticity in combination with cognitive training to provide long-term cognitive benefits and protection against age-related cognitive decline. Influences from age, gender and other variables are considered, and methodological factors that could be utilised in future studies to further clarify the proposed model are discussed.
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“As reported in some studies, physical exercise can effectively prevent depression by affecting many molecular and cellular pathways;”
From Major depressive disorder: hypothesis, mechanism, prevention and treatment (2024) · cites this paper as [312]
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“the “neurotrophic hypothesis,” which posits that in response to physical exercises, the organism releases several neurochemicals (e.g., neurotrophic factors such as BDNF), which in turn trigger neuroplasticity and facilitate cognitive enhancement”
From Dose-Response Matters! - A Perspective on the Exercise Prescription in Exercise-Cognition Research (2019) · cites this paper as Stimpson et al., 2018
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BackgroundAdult Neurogenesis in the Mammalian Brain: Significant Answers and Significant Questions
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Metadata
- Authors
- Stimpson, N. J., Davison, G., & Javadi, A.-H.
- Affiliations
- University College London (GB)
- University of Kent (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Javadi, Amir-Homayoun
- Venue
- Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-05
- Volume
- 88
- Pages
- 177-186
- ISSN
- 0149-7634 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2792056933
- Cited by
- 134
- References
- 147
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 8
- FWCI
- 2.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- doi.org
- Locations
- Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Kent Academic Repository (University of Kent) (submittedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Keywords
- cardiorespiratory fitness, aerobic exercise, angiogenesis, cerebral circulation, neurotrophins, IGF-1 signaling, neuroinflammation, hippocampal neurogenesis, neuroplasticity, cognitive training, age-related cognitive decline, acute exercise, sex differences
- MeSH terms
- Brain, Cognition, Humans, Neuronal Plasticity, Exercise, Neurogenesis, Cognitive Dysfunction
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