Mapping the effects of exercise on cognition and physical function: a scoping review of rodent studies

Exercise, including both resistance and aerobic modalities, is widely recognised for its cognitive and physical health benefits, such as enhanced cognitive performance, improved physical fitness, and disease prevention. An emerging field, known as chrono-exercise, examines how the timing of exercise interacts with circadian rhythms to maximise these benefits. With ageing, cognitive decline and physical impairment become increasingly prevalent, contributing to a higher risk of age-related disorders. This scoping review aims to explore whether strategies, particularly those involving brain-muscle crosstalk, can mitigate these declines.

This review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Rodent studies were identified from PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and ProQuest databases. Included studies examined the effects of various exercise interventions, including aerobic and resistance training, on neurobehavioural outcomes, body composition, and physiological and biochemical regulatory mechanisms.

Overall, exercise interventions demonstrate beneficial effects on cognitive and physical health. These effects appear to be enhanced when exercise is aligned with circadian rhythms and appropriately supplemented, highlighting their potential as non-invasive strategies to mitigate age-related decline.

These findings emphasise the need for further research to optimise exercise protocols and develop personalised interventions aimed at improving cognitive and physical health in ageing populations.