Neuroshape
The Neuroshape project explored how physical exercise shapes the brain, with a focus on the hippocampus. In a 12-week randomized controlled trial, 52 young adults were assigned to either high- or low-intensity exercise training while undergoing state-of-the-art 3T and 7T MRI scans. We found that exercise improved fitness and led to small but significant changes in hippocampal structure, metabolism, and blood flow, independent of training intensity. Exploratory results further suggested that exercise benefits may extend beyond the hippocampus, affecting wider brain regions and growth factors. Our findings support the idea that exercise has restorative rather than stimulatory effects in young healthy adults, highlighting the importance of multi-modal imaging approaches to better understand exercise as a non-pharmacological intervention for brain health.
Funding: ABC Project grant
Researchers: Antonia Kaiser, Anouk Schrantee