Types of Exercise and Memory

Imagine planning your workout to help improve performance on your next exam. This might be possible in the future as scientists tease out the effect of different types of exercise on memory and mood.

Dartmouth University researchers in Hanover, New Hampshire, evaluated four types of memory tasks and found associations between types of workouts and memory performance. For example, memory can be “episodic” (remembering events), “spatial” (remembering locations) and “associative” (remembering connections between memories).

Data analysis showed that subjects who exercise at moderate intensity performed better on episodic tasks, while those who did high-intensity training did better on spatial tasks. Researchers also noted connections between mental health and memory tasks. For example, those who reported anxiety or depression performed better on spatial and associative tasks, while those who noted high levels of stress performed worse on associative memory tasks.

“When it comes to physical activity, memory, and mental health, there’s a really complicated dynamic at play that cannot be summarized in single sentences like ‘walking improves your memory’ or ‘stress hurts your memory,’” said Jeremy R. Manning, PhD, assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences at Dartmouth University. “Instead, specific forms of physical activity and aspects of mental health seem to affect each aspect of memory differently . . . For example, to help students prepare for an exam or reduce their depression symptoms, exercise regimens could be designed to help improve their cognitive performance and mental health.”

The research on exercise and memory is reported in Scientific Reports (2022; 12 [13822]).

See also: Exercise Improves Memory Performance