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Dopamine and Exercise for Brain Fitness

Study finds exercise stimulates brain’s dopamine release and boosts performance.

Dopamine and Exercise

New research identifies mechanisms for why exercise improves the mind and body response during and immediately after physical activity. A multi-institutional study found that cardiovascular exercise increased the brain’s dopamine levels, resulting in better cognitive performance. Researchers compared passive exercise through muscle stimulation with active exercise on indoor bicycles; improved reaction times only occurred with active exercise.

“Using novel brain imaging techniques, we were able to examine the role dopamine plays in boosting brain function during exercise, and the results are really promising,” says Joseph Costello, PhD, co-study author and associate head of research and innovation at the School of Sport, Health & Exercise Science at University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom. “These findings support growing evidence that exercise prescription is a viable therapy for a host of health conditions across the lifespan.”

The study is published in The Journal of Physiology (2024; doi: 10.113/JP285173).

See also: Applying Neuroscience to Exercise Programming


Shirley Eichenberger-Archer, JD, MA

Shirley Archer, JD, MA, is an internationally acknowledged integrative health and mindfulness specialist, best-selling author of 16 fitness and wellness books translated into multiple languages and sold worldwide, award-winning health journalist, contributing editor to Fitness Journal, media spokesperson, and IDEA's 2008 Fitness Instructor of the Year. She's a 25-year industry veteran and former health and fitness educator at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, who has served on multiple industry committees and co-authored trade books and manuals for ACE, ACSM and YMCA of the USA. She has appeared on TV worldwide and was a featured trainer on America's Next Top Model.

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