Can Exercise Influence MRI-Based Brain Age?

A randomized trial suggests regular aerobic exercise may influence an MRI-based estimate of brain age.

In a randomized clinical trial of 130 adults ages 26 to 58, participants who completed 12 months of moderate aerobic exercise had a measurable reduction in brain age on MRI, meaning their brain structure appeared younger than expected for their age. In contrast, those who did not exercise showed the typical pattern of brain aging over time.

The intervention was simple and achievable: 150 minutes per week of aerobic activity, including both supervised and independent sessions. The exact mechanisms are still being studied, but findings suggest exercise may directly influence brain structure and integrity beyond traditional markers like fitness or body composition.

Brain-age measurements are research estimates based on imaging patterns; they do not mean that aging was literally reversed, and they do not predict an individual result.

Reference:

Wan L, Molina Hidalgo C, Crisafio ME, et al. Fitness and exercise effects on brain age: A randomized clinical trial. J Sport Health Sci. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2025.101079
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