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A review of cardiorespiratory fitness-related neuroplasticity in the aging brain
Open accessAbstract
The literature examining the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and the brain in older adults has increased rapidly, with 30 of 34 studies published since 2008. Here we review cross-sectional and exercise intervention studies in older adults examining the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and brain structure and function, typically assessed using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Studies of patients with Alzheimer's disease are discussed when available. The structural MRI studies revealed a consistent positive relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and brain volume in cortical regions including anterior cingulate, lateral prefrontal, and lateral parietal cortex. Support for a positive relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and medial temporal lobe volume was less consistent, although evident when a region-of-interest approach was implemented. In fMRI studies, cardiorespiratory fitness in older adults was associated with activation in similar regions as those identified in the structural studies, including anterior cingulate, lateral prefrontal, and lateral parietal cortex, despite heterogeneity among the functional tasks implemented. This comprehensive review highlights the overlap in brain regions showing a positive relationship with cardiorespiratory fitness in both structural and functional imaging modalities. The findings suggest that aerobic exercise and cardiorespiratory fitness contribute to healthy brain aging, although additional studies in Alzheimer's disease are needed.
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“However, there is overlap among the neural correlates of PTSD and the brain regions impacted by aerobic exercise (93), suggesting that exercise-induced brain changes may be a mechanism by which aerobic exercise positively impacts PTSD symptomatology.”
From Exercise Intervention in PTSD: A Narrative Review and Rationale for Implementation (2019) · cites this paper as [93]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Hayes, S. M., Hayes, J. P., Cadden, M., & Verfaellie, M.
- Affiliations
- Boston University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hayes, Scott M.
- Venue
- Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Published
- 2013
- Volume
- 5
- Pages
- 31-31
- ISSN
- 1663-4365 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3709413
- OpenAlex
- W2125682808
- Cited by
- 154
- References
- 101
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 3
- FWCI
- 11.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Mental Health (K23MH084013)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Keywords
- cardiorespiratory fitness, neuroplasticity, brain aging, older adults, aerobic exercise, brain structure, brain function, cortical volume, anterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex, parietal cortex, medial temporal lobe, Alzheimer's disease, exercise intervention
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