Higher levels of physical activity are associated with significantly better executive and memory function regardless of age. There is plenty of untapped potential here as an intervention in the educational environment or among older people.
A persistent long-term memory depends on the successful integration and consolidation of new memory content after initial encryption. Neuromodulators such as dopamine, noradrenaline and the growth factor BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) seem to play a role in this consolidation. Without the release of these factors at the time of recording, memory content quickly disappears (See 1).
Numerous studies have shown that physical activity acutely stimulates the release of various factors that promote consolidation.
In an exciting study, test subjects underwent either no or a single unit of physical training after a learning task, after which the previously learned information was retrieved under MRI recording. Aerobic training four hours after the learning session improved associative memory and increased the stability of hippocampal activation during retrieval of learning content (See 1).
This investigation, although very insightful, was however rather experimental in its test design. It would be interesting to ask how our constant movement habits in everyday life influence our learning and performance in the long term.
A population-based study published in Germany in 2018 answered exactly this question: over a period of 12 years, it investigated the relationship between physical activity and cognitive performance in adults between 18 and 79 years (See 2).
More hours of physical activity per week were associated with significantly higher memory and executive function in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. This correlation was independent of the age of the patients and other factors such as gender, smoking status, alcohol consumption, fruit and vegetable consumption, overweight or educational status.
A large number of data - of which we only presented a few exciting examples here - suggest that exercise is essential for good cognitive performance. In the clinical and educational environment, the potential of these findings could be exploited much more.
Sources:
1. Van Dongen, E. V., Kersten, I. H. P., Wagner, I. C., Morris, R. G. M. & Fernández, G. Physical Exercise Performed Four Hours after Learning Improves Memory Retention and Increases Hippocampal Pattern Similarity during Retrieval. Curr. Biol. 26, 1722-1727 (2016).
2. Gaertner, B. et al. Physical exercise and cognitive function across the life span: Results of a nationwide population-based study. J Sci Med Sport 21, 489-494 (2018).