Cerebrovascular reserve: the link between fitness and cognitive function?
Abstract
Better physical fitness in later life is associated positively with cognitive functioning. Novel data suggest that this association is mediated, in part, by increases in brain perfusion and the ability of cerebral blood vessels to respond to demand. This review presents evidence on the beneficial effects of exercise on cerebrovascular and cognitive health with aging and explores potential underlying vascular-related mechanisms.
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Regular exercise stimulates neurogenesis, cerebral angiogenesis, synaptogenesis in cerebral structures and improves cerebrovascular reserve, which support better brain function.
“Regular exercise stimulates neurogenesis,22 cerebral angiogenesis,23 synaptogenesis in cerebral structures and improves cerebrovascular reserve,24 which support better brain function.”
From Influence of habitual physical activity on cognitive performance of healthy young adults after passive heat exposure (2026) · cites this paper as [24]
Cites
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BackgroundDose-Response Matters! - A Perspective on the Exercise Prescription in Exercise-Cognition Research
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- Authors
- Davenport, M. H., Hogan, D. B., Eskes, G. A., Longman, R. S., & Poulin, M. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Calgary (CA)
- Dalhousie University (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Poulin, Marc J.
- Venue
- Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews
- Published
- 2012-07
- Volume
- 40
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 153-158
- ISSN
- 0091-6331 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2315327674
- Cited by
- 196
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 31.41
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Keywords
- cerebrovascular reserve, physical fitness, cognitive function, aging, cerebral perfusion, cerebral blood flow, physical activity, vascular mechanisms, cognitive aging
- MeSH terms
- Aging, Cerebrovascular Circulation, Cognition, Humans, Exercise
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