Neurotechnology

Comprehensive Summary

This narrative review, performed by Rosso et al, aimed to compile the results of several studies and determine if physical exercise can be a successful non-pharmacological treatment to improve brain plasticity of certain brain networks. The eligibility criteria for included studies was a participant age range from 18 to 80 years old, absence of any health conditions, and the use of functional or structural magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI/SMRI) to measure brain network activity. The physical exercise was categorized based on type of exercise (cardiovascular, strength, mixed), intensity (light-to-moderate, vigorous), and duration (short-term, long-term) for a total of 25 interventions in healthy individuals from ages 18 to 80 years old. After completing a literature search from 2004 to 2023 and analyzing a total of 65 articles, researchers found that exercise had both functional and structural changes in key brain networks, such as the Default Mode Network, Salience Network, Central Executive Network, Visuospatial Network, Sensorimotor Network, and Language and Auditory Networks. Various studies found that cardiovascular exercise helped improve brain connectivity and reduce inflammation, resulting in less cognitive decline. Strength exercise helped increase muscle function which caused neuroplastic adaptations in the central nervous system. Finally, mixed exercise results suggested a neuroprotective effect from increasing the volume of gray matter. In conclusion, regardless of the type of exercise, there are quantifiable benefits for the structural and functional integrity of the brain.

Outcomes and Implications

This narrative review emphasizes exercise as a promising non-pharmacological intervention to preserve brain structure and function across several brain networks. By fully understanding the effects of exercise on neuroplasticity, clinicians can begin implementing it as preventative treatment for different neurological disorders. In particular, future studies focusing on the long-term effects of exercise could be used to promote brain health in individuals more prone to certain disorders. Overall, this study indicates that a diverse and regular exercise routine can be beneficial to improving brain health and function, especially with aging.

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© 2025 AIIM. Created by AIIM IT Team

AIIM Research

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© 2025 AIIM. Created by AIIM IT Team