Exercise Can Boost Brain Function – No Matter Your Age

written by Dolly Stokes, FiTOUR®

A university in Australia recently completed the largest most comprehensive study which explored the correlation of exercise and cognition.

With 133 systematic reviews of multiple studies that included over 250,000 participants, this is the largest and most comprehensive study done with regards to the effectiveness of exercise on cognition.

While other studies have correlated cognitive function and memory to either high-intensity or low-intensity activities as well as to specific individuals such as older adults or individuals with present cognitive or neurological issues, this review examined healthy and unhealthy individuals of ALL ages.

The review showed what we have known all along that exercise helps to provide improved general cognition across the board. However, when cognition was divided into the subcategories of memory and executive function, differences were seen in subgroups and were dependent upon the modes of exercise engaged.

Research has long shown that improved cognition can be achieved by using neuroplasticity training drills during fitness activities such as high- or mid-intensity interval training, cardio activities, and strength training.

The study that is the subject of this article found that the best cognitive outcomes for individuals of any age are from exercises that incorporate complex movement patterns that require both the mental and physical engagement of dual tasking.

Three mind body activities that call upon dual tasking and all of which include complex movement patterns are Pilates, yoga, and self-myofascial release.

While all three of these modalities provide improved body awareness, enhanced flexibility, and improved sense of well-being, they also provide benefits to cognitive health that include the following:

• Improvements in ability to perform dual tasking.
• Positively impact both immediate and delayed recall memory.
• Improve verbal fluency in both semantic processing and phonological processing.
• Improvements in neurocognitive efficiency. Neurocognitive efficiency is the ability to effectively use cognitive resources such as processing information, making decisions, solving problems, the ability to reason, and knowledge.
• Increases in attention and processing speed which can lead to improved behavioral speed – slower behavioral speed is often a result of the natural aging process.
• Improved executive function which refers to mental processes for planning and monitoring thoughts and behaviors.

From a personal standpoint, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 47. The plaques in my brain are in the regions that control speech, mobility and cognition.  My neurologist believes that in addition to participation in regular high-intensity cardio and strength training, the numerous years of yoga and Pilates practice have contributed to my continued elevated levels of function both physically and cognitively. I was initially told that by the time I reached the age of 70 I would be wheelchair bound.

That was 14 years ago. Today at 61, I continue to score extremely high on both functional cognitive assessments and am confident this will continue for years to come.

I am a walking testimony that for someone with a neurological condition taking part in regular cardio, strength training, and mind body activities can be monumental in keeping both cognitive and physical function as well as offsetting the natural aging process.

While we often target our older adult clientele for neuroplasticity and cognitive training techniques, individuals of all ages can benefit from programming that focuses on mind-body activities.

FiTOUR® offers educational opportunities in mind body modalities through the Primary and Advanced Pilates courses, the Pilates Reformer course, and the Primary and Advanced Yoga courses.  The FiTOUR® Myofascial Release Primary and Advanced courses also provide education on how to incorporate the mind body activity of myofascial release into your training programs.

Dolly Stokes has been a certified professional fitness trainer for over 35 years, has been a FiTOUR® ProTrainer for over 20 years, and has authored 14 FiTOUR® courses including the Active Aging Primary and Advanced, Pilates Reformer, and Myofascial Release Primary and Advanced courses. Dolly and her husband, Jeff, own Stokes Method Studio in Fairhope, AL where Dolly specializes in functional and corrective exercise.

​Source: Singh, Bennett, Miatke, et al. (2025). Effectiveness of exercise for improving cognition, memory and executive function: a systematic umbrella review and meta-meta-analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40049759/