Cardiovascular exercise before engaging in learning tasks increases immune system signaling molecules, enhancing short-term learning gains by about 9%. Digest
Scientists have long believed that physical activity can enhance memory by inducing changes in the brain's structure and function. A recent study found that after 10 weeks of cardiovascular exercise combined with a vocabulary learning task, participants who exhibited larger increases in immune system signaling molecules also experienced stronger short-term learning improvements.
Researchers assigned participants to either a cycling group or a stretching group. Each person completed 18 sessions over 10 weeks, always learning vocabulary words right before exercising. The cycling group rode stationary bikes for about 45 to 55 minutes at a moderate intensity, maintaining an average heart rate of 142 beats per minute. The stretching group did light movement routines, such as posture drills and simple strength exercises, with a much lower average heart rate of 99 beats per minute. Researchers collected blood samples before and after two of the sessions to assess immune system changes.
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By the end of the study, the cycling group showed a marked improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness—about a 9% increase—while fitness levels in the stretching group remained unchanged. Both groups improved in vocabulary learning during the sessions, and their ability to retain words four weeks later did not differ. However, in the cycling group, greater post-exercise increases in interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1 receptor antagonist predicted stronger short-term learning gains within the same session.
These findings suggest that the immune system plays a key role in how exercise boosts short-term learning. Bolstering immune health through exercise is also a critical aspect of preventing cancer. Learn more in this episode featuring Dr. Kerry Courneya.