Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 12, 2025
07:13
Orienteering as a Tool for Cognitive Research: An Implementation Guide
Published on: November 29, 2024
901
Exercise for brain health: From cells to circuits
Carmen Vivar1, Lazaro P Orihuela1, Grego Apostol1
1Laboratory of Neurogenesis and Neuroplasticity, Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neuroscience, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico.
Progress in Brain Research
|August 6, 2025
Summary
Endurance running (ER) capacity may have shaped human brain evolution. Modern sedentary lifestyles increase brain disorder risk, but exercise can promote brain health by improving the cortico-hippocampal circuit.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Neuroscience
- Human evolution
Background:
- Human brain evolution is linked to exercise, particularly endurance running (ER).
- Nomadic lifestyles required spatial navigation and memory, functions of the hippocampus.
- Modern sedentary behavior contrasts with ancestral activity, potentially increasing brain disorder risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the evolutionary impact of ER on human brain structure and cognition.
- To review how exercise influences the cortico-hippocampal circuit.
- To discuss exercise's potential to counteract age-related and inactivity-induced brain changes.
Main Methods:
- Review of human and animal studies on exercise and brain changes.
- Description of cortico-hippocampal circuitry.
- Analysis of aging-induced and exercise-induced plasticity.
Main Results:
- Exercise induces functional and structural brain changes.
- These changes can counteract negative effects of aging and inactivity.
- Exercise-induced plasticity in the cortico-hippocampal circuit is key.
Conclusions:
- Endurance running capacity may have played a role in human brain evolution.
- Exercise promotes brain health by enhancing cortico-hippocampal function.
- Maintaining physical activity is crucial for mitigating brain disorder risk.
Related Concept Videos
01:01Neuroplasticity
765
Neuroplasticity reflects the brain's remarkable capacity to adapt and evolve, responding dynamically to learning, experiences, or injury by reorganizing its neural circuitry. This reorganization involves creating new neural connections and refining old ones through a series of biological processes that contribute to the brain's lifelong development and adaptability.
765
01:15Neurogenesis and Regeneration of Nervous Tissue
1.0K
In the CNS, neurogenesis, the birth of new neurons from stem cells, is limited to the hippocampus in adults. In other regions of the brain and spinal cord, neurogenesis is almost non-existent due to inhibitory influences from neuroglia, especially oligodendrocytes, and the absence of growth-stimulating cues. The myelin produced by oligodendrocytes in the CNS inhibits neuronal regeneration. Furthermore, astrocytes proliferate rapidly after neuronal damage, forming scar tissue that physically...
1.0K
01:25Neural Circuits
1.6K
Neural circuits and neuronal pools are two of the main structures found in the nervous system. Neural circuits are networks of neurons that work together to carry out a specific task or process. They consist of interconnected neurons and glial cells, which provide structural and metabolic support.
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...
1.6K
01:22Neurons as Communicators of the Brain
1.7K
Neurons, the fundamental units of the brain and nervous system, function as the primary transmitters of information throughout the body. Their ability to communicate through electrical and chemical signals is vital for every bodily function, from regulating the heartbeat to processing complex thoughts. Each neuron has three main components: the cell body (soma), dendrites, and an axon, each specialized to facilitate swift and efficient neural communication.
Cell Body
The cell body, also known...
Cell Body
The cell body, also known...
1.7K
01:04Glial Cells
88.9K
Overview
88.9K
01:23Brain Waves
2.0K
Brain waves are electrical signals generated by the neurons in the brain, which are regularly monitored to measure mental activities. Brain waves and their frequency ranges can be measured using an electroencephalogram or EEG. There are four main types of brain waves, each with distinct characteristics:
2.0K