Key Takeaways
Adults who did regular aerobic exercise for a year had brains that appeared about one year younger on MRI scans than people who didn’t exercise.The study included adults ages 26 to 58, suggesting brain benefits start in early and midlife.
Research has long shown that regular exercise benefits the brain, but a new study suggests that regular aerobic exercise in midlife can actually make the brain look younger on an MRI.
Aerobic Exercise Linked to ‘Younger’ Brain Scans
The study, published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, compared MRI results from participants who engaged in aerobic exercise consistently for a full year with those of a control group that didn’t exercise regularly.
After the year was over, the MRI results showed that the brains of the exercise group looked about a year younger than the control group.
Participants in the exercise group engaged in moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise for a total of 150 minutes per week, as recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine. The exercise consisted of two weekly supervised 60-minute workout sessions and several home-based aerobic activities.
“We’ve known for years that exercise increases blood flow to the brain and can help stimulate the brain’s ability to maintain old network connections and make new ones that are vital to cognitive health,” said Sharon A. Brangman, MD, a geriatrician and trustee of the McKnight Brain Research Foundation, who was not involved in the study.
Cardio in Early Adulthood May Protect Your Brain
While many previous studies focused on older participants, this one focused on those aged 26 to 58.
It’s important for people to know that aerobic exercise benefits the brain even in young adulthood and midlife, according to Paul Bendheim, MD, a board-certified neurologist and clinical professor of neurology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, who was not involved in the study.
Exercising builds brain reserve and improves neuroplasticity, he said, helping to protect it against damage and degeneration as you age. “You need to exercise as soon as you can walk, and you need to continue it through young adulthood, middle life, and beyond,” he added.
Important Study Limitations to Note
There are a few limitations that provide context to the findings of this study, Brangman noted.
Only 130 healthy adults were included, which she said isn’t a large enough sample size to draw conclusions representative of a broader, diverse population. The intervention also lasted only 12 months, which is a relatively short period for an aging study.
“If this were repeated in the future, I would suggest implementing a longer follow-up period to see how the participants’ brain age changes over multiple years with consistent aerobic exercise,” Brangman said.
She added that MRI-predicted brain age is a complex biomarker to track. While it is a valuable research measure, she said we still don’t have a complete understanding of how changes in brain age relate to day-to-day cognition, real-world functioning, or clinical patterns of brain aging.
“It’s important to look at these findings in the broader context, understanding that aerobic exercise alone isn’t the solution to slowing brain aging,” she said. “The good news is the findings do underscore what we want people to understand—making healthy lifestyle modifications can help protect our brain and cognitive health with age.”
What This Means for Your Brain Health
Ultimately, Bendheim said the study results should encourage you to move your body more. You don’t have to be a marathon runner, he said, just aim to move for 30 minutes, five days a week.
You also don’t have to track your pulse to know whether your heart rate is increasing. If you’re walking with someone else and you have to take an extra breath while speaking, Bendheim said that means you’re increasing your heart rate and your respiratory rate, so you’re receiving the benefits.
“It’s not rocket science; it’s moving, it’s eating a healthier diet, managing stress, getting good sleep, socializing, and actually using your brain,” Bendheim said.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Wan L, Molina-Hidalgo C, Crisafio ME, et al. Fitness and exercise effects on brain age: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Sport and Health Science. 2026;15:101079. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2025.101079
Ferrer-Uris B, Ramos MA, Busquets A, Angulo-Barroso R. Can exercise shape your brain? A review of aerobic exercise effects on cognitive function and neuro-physiological underpinning mechanisms. AIMS Neuroscience. 2022;9(2):150. doi:10.3934/Neuroscience.2022009
De Sousa Fernandes MS, Ordônio TF, Santos GCJ, et al. Effects of physical exercise on neuroplasticity and brain function: a systematic review in human and animal studies. Hess G, ed. Neural Plasticity. 2020;2020:1-21. doi:10.1155/2020/8856621
Miller is a journalist specializing in mental health, women’s health, and culture. Her work is published in outlets ranging from Vice to Healthnews.
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?
Helpful
Report an Error
Other
