Exercise, cognition, and the aging brain

Beckman Institute and Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois We provide a brief review of the literature on exercise effects on brain and cognition. To this end, we focus on both prospective and retrospective human epidemiological studies that have examined the influence of exercise and physical activity on cognition and dementia. We then examine the relatively small set of human randomized clinical trials that have, for the most part, focused on exercise training effects on cognition. Next, we discuss animal research that has examined the molecular, cellular, and behavioral effects of exercise training. Finally, we conclude with a summary and brief discussion of important future directions of research on fitness cognition and brain. physical activity; plasticity Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: A. F. Kramer, Beckman Institute, Univ. of Illinois, 405 North Mathews Ave., Urbana, IL 61801 (e-mail: akramer{at}s.psych.uiuc.edu )