Is exercise beneficial for cognitive and brain health?

Engaging in regular physical activity or exercise can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and alleviate depressive and anxiety symptoms  in older adults. Additionally, exercise may improve cognitive performance and increase brain volume and connectivity. However, there is heterogeneity in the findings with respect to cognitive and brain outcomes. This line of research aims to examine potential moderators and mechanisms of the protective effects of exercising in older adults. In my research, I employ a multimethod approach to examining these questions, including in-lab experiments, neuroscientific methods (e.g., cortisol, brain connectivity), wearables, and ecological momentary assessment.

How to facilitate greater engagement in exercise and physical activity in older adults?
​
In my clinical experiences with older adults, I discovered that it is not only important to be able to provide recommendations on lifestyle behaviors to maintain cognitive and brain health, but also to include empirically supported information on how to engage consistently in those health behaviors. Despite multiple potential benefits of regular physical activity engagement for older adults, one third of people over the age of 65 reported physical inactivity in 2019 and most older adults do not meet the recommendations of the American Heart Association. My research has both basic and translational components that provide information about mechanisms of exercise and physical activity behavior that will later be incorporated into interventions designed to improve the physical, mental, brain, and cognitive health of older adults.