How Exercise Works in Brain

April 21, 2026

New research suggests that regular aerobic exercise can help keep your brain biologically younger. Adults who exercised regularly for a year showed brains that appeared nearly a year younger than those who didn’t change their habits.

The study focused on midlife, a critical window when prevention may offer long-term benefits. Even small shifts in brain age could add up over decades.

Looking after your brain is a process that unfolds over many years, and new findings from the AdventHealth Research Institute point to an encouraging option. Researchers report that sticking with a consistent aerobic exercise routine may help the brain remain biologically younger.

This effect could support clearer thinking, better memory, and overall mental well-being.
The research showed that adults who committed to a full year of aerobic exercise had brains that appeared almost a year younger than those of participants who did not change their level of activity.

Measuring Brain Age With MRI

Published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, the study examined whether regular aerobic exercise could slow or even reverse what scientists call “brain age.”

Brain age is estimated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and reflects how old the brain appears compared to a person’s actual age. A higher brain-predicted age difference (brain-PAD) means the brain looks older, and earlier studies have linked this measure to weaker physical and cognitive performance and a higher risk of death.

“We found that a simple, guideline-based exercise program can make the brain look measurably younger over just 12 months,” said Dr. Lu Wan, lead author and data scientist at the AdventHealth Research Institute.

“Many people worry about how to protect their brain health as they age. Studies like this offer hopeful guidance grounded in everyday habits. These absolute changes were modest, but even a one-year shift in brain age could matter over the course of decades,” added Dr Lu Wan.

Inside the Year-Long Exercise Trial

The clinical trial included 130 healthy adults between the ages of 26 and 58. Participants were randomly assigned to either a moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise group or a usual-care control group.

Those in the exercise group completed two supervised 60-minute workout sessions each week in a laboratory and added home-based exercise to reach roughly 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week. This schedule aligned with the American College of Sports Medicine’s physical activity guidelines