The Central Nervous System and Exercise: Enhancing Neurological Health for a Longer Healthspan

Neurological disorders are a significant and growing global health concern. In the United States alone, they are projected to cost over $16 trillion by 2030, creating a substantial burden on both individuals and healthcare systems. Conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy are particularly debilitating, especially as they often worsen with age, dramatically reducing quality of life and healthspan. However, an increasing body of evidence suggests that one of the most powerful interventions for both mitigating and preventing cognitive decline is regular exercise.

In this blog, we will explore how exercise benefits neurological health, its underlying mechanisms, and how it plays a key role in maintaining mental and cognitive functions across the lifespan.

How Exercise Benefits Neurological Health

Regular physical activity has been shown to provide a broad spectrum of benefits for the central nervous system. Studies indicate that exercise can enhance cognitive functions, improve coordination, boost visuospatial memory, and strengthen learning abilities across all age groups. Furthermore, clinical trials have demonstrated that exercise can help prevent or mitigate the progression of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and depression.

For example, a recent study found that even a single 30-minute session of high-intensity intermittent exercise can enhance cognitive function in young adults. In another clinical trial, a 12-week regimen of moderate-intensity exercise, combining endurance, resistance training, and balance activities, significantly improved cognitive function in older adults. Interestingly, research has not shown that vigorous exercise is necessarily superior to moderate-intensity exercise for enhancing brain function, suggesting that an “ideal dose” of exercise might exist. This finding has led to numerous studies investigating various forms of exercise—including high-intensity interval training (HIIT), coordination exercises, and mind-body practices like Tai Chi—to determine the most effective approaches for different populations.

Overall, regular exercise emerges as one of the most prominent lifestyle interventions for improving neurological function and extending healthspan.

Mechanisms of Exercise Benefits on the Central Nervous System

1. Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s remarkable ability to undergo structural and functional changes in response to behavioral stimuli, such as exercise. This capacity for adaptation is essential for improving cognitive functions, memory, motor skills, and learning abilities, as well as for protecting the brain from neurodegenerative diseases.

Research using both animal and human models has shown that endurance exercise can increase the brain volume in key regions such as the hippocampus, which is critical for memory and learning. Exercise also promotes changes in brain structure, including enhanced dendrite length and complexity in areas such as the hippocampus, basolateral amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, and neurons in the cerebral cortex. These structural changes are thought to be central to the cognitive and motor skill improvements associated with regular physical activity.

On a functional level, exercise enhances long-term potentiation (LTP)—a process that strengthens neuronal communication in the hippocampus. Studies have found that the degree of LTP enhancement is dependent on the intensity and duration of the exercise. Additionally, exercise has been shown to increase markers of astrocyte activity, suggesting that glial cells may play a role in exercise-induced improvements in brain plasticity. Understanding these cellular and molecular mechanisms is key to appreciating how exercise promotes neurological health and enhances healthspan.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the most well-researched molecules associated with exercise-induced neuroplasticity. Early animal studies revealed that exercise increases the expression of BDNF and its receptor, TrkB, in the brain. Blocking the TrkB receptor, however, has been shown to hinder exercise-induced neuroplasticity, suggesting that BDNF signaling is crucial for the cognitive benefits of exercise. While BDNF’s regulatory mechanisms remain unclear, it appears that molecules like insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) play a role. For instance, studies have demonstrated that blocking IGF-1 receptors reverses exercise-induced increases in BDNF expression and the phosphorylation of key proteins in the hippocampus. Interestingly, different exercise types, such as aerobic and resistance training, may influence cognitive function through separate molecular pathways, highlighting the need for further research to fully understand BDNF’s role in exercise benefits.

2. Angiogenesis

Exercise, particularly endurance training, has been shown to enhance angiogenesis in the brain. Angiogenesis refers to the formation of new blood vessels, which can improve blood flow, nutrient delivery, and overall brain health. This process is crucial for supporting cognitive abilities, especially during aging. VO2 max, a measure of aerobic fitness, has been identified as a predictor of vascular health in the brain and is closely linked to maintaining cognitive function.

Studies indicate that regular endurance exercise increases blood flow velocity in major brain arteries. For instance, trained individuals exhibit approximately 17% greater blood flow in the middle cerebral artery compared to their sedentary counterparts, across nearly all age groups. Furthermore, exercise interventions, such as 12-week cycling programs, have been shown to enhance cerebral microvascular tone in older adults, reinforcing the idea that regular exercise can improve vascular function in the brain and support cognitive health.

3. Neurogenesis

Neurogenesis is the process of generating new neurons, which is particularly significant in the hippocampus, a region of the brain involved in memory and learning. Long-term endurance exercise can delay the loss of neuronal volume in the hippocampus, which is linked to age-related cognitive disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Several molecules, including BDNF, IGF-1, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), are known to promote neurogenesis and have been found to be upregulated through regular exercise. Studies suggest that exercise-induced BDNF is especially crucial for promoting neurogenesis in older populations, highlighting its importance for neurological health during aging. Additionally, recent research has identified cathepsin B (CTSB), a myokine released by skeletal muscle during exercise, as a potential regulator of brain biochemistry. While the precise function of CTSB in promoting neurogenesis is still being studied, its discovery points to the complex interplay between exercise, muscle activity, and brain health.

Resistance exercise has also been shown to preserve cognitive function, although the mechanisms are less well understood compared to those of endurance exercise. Clinical studies indicate that moderate- or high-intensity resistance training can improve cognitive performance in older adults, suggesting that incorporating various forms of exercise may yield the most comprehensive benefits for brain health. Interestingly, a recent meta-analysis found that resistance training might induce a more significant increase in BDNF levels than moderate-intensity endurance exercise in older adults, warranting further research to explore these effects.

Conclusion

The evidence supporting the neurological benefits of regular exercise is compelling. By enhancing neuroplasticity, promoting angiogenesis, and stimulating neurogenesis, exercise serves as a potent intervention to boost cognitive function, delay neurological decline, and extend healthspan. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms, such as the roles of BDNF, IGF-1, and angiogenic factors, is crucial for developing targeted exercise programs that maximize these benefits.

While more research is needed to fully elucidate the cellular pathways and molecular mediators involved, it is clear that incorporating regular physical activity into our daily routines is one of the most effective strategies for maintaining a healthy and active brain throughout life.