15 Ways Cardiofitness Boosts Brain Power in Older Adulthood

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Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) or “cardiofitness” helps us live longer, healthier lives. It’s also linked to better brain health and sharper thinking as we age. Mountains of science-backed evidence suggest that doing at least 150 minutes of cardio per week is key to mens sana in corpore sano (a sound mind in a sound body), especially after age 60.

In November 2024, a meta-analysis of 33 studies involving about 2 million older adults (Martinez-Gomez et al., 2024) found that the benefits of staying physically active grow exponentially later in life.

Whereas doing cardio has many benefits for younger people, the link between reduced all-cause mortality and aerobic exercise appears to get stronger in older adulthood. Similarly, the benefits of aerobic fitness also have a greater impact on cognition in late adulthood.

A December 2024 “IGNITE” study (Oberlin et al., 2024) on the link between CRF and cognitive function in late adulthood found that higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with improved cognitive performance across five domains vulnerable to age-related decline.

Notably, the IGNITE study highlights that the exercise-induced cognitive benefits associated with cardiofitness were also observed in older adults carrying APOE4 genes, which typically indicate a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

The recent findings from Oberlin et al. corroborate other neuroscience-based evidence linking higher fitness levels with elevated neurocognitive function and sharper mental acuity regardless of APOE4 carrier status (Chang et al. 2024).

In addition to the latest (2024) findings, other studies over the past few decades have found a strong correlation between higher CRF levels and better executive function and memory performance after midlife.

Read on to learn more about five cognitive domains that benefit from higher cardiorespiratory fitness levels and 15 mechanisms of action that might explain why doing cardio boosts brain power in older adulthood.

5 Cognitive Domains Aerobic Fitness Enhances

The IGNITE study examined the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive function in older adults, focusing on five key cognitive domains. Researchers assessed 347 participants aged 65–85 using VO₂ max testing on a treadmill to measure CRF and conducted comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations to analyze cognitive performance.

The study found that higher CRF was strongly correlated with better performance across the five cognitive domains described below:

• Executive Function/Attentional Control: A collection of higher-order processes that support goal-directed behavior, including planning, problem-solving, impulse inhibition, and task switching. Controlled attention helps us stay focused and resist distractions.
• Processing Speed: The ability to rapidly perceive, interpret, and respond to information. It reflects how efficiently the brain handles tasks by assessing reaction times and how long it takes to complete basic or complex tasks.
• Episodic Memory: The capacity to store and retrieve information about personal experiences, including the context of time, place, and related emotions. This domain is essential for recalling specific events and their associated details.
• Working Memory: The ability to temporarily remember and manipulate information for reasoning, decision-making, and comprehension. It underpins executive functions and relies on a dynamic network of interconnected brain regions.
• Visuospatial Function: The ability to perceive, process, and manipulate visual and spatial information. It supports skills such as object recognition, navigation, and understanding spatial relationships in three-dimensional environments.

The IGNITE study highlights the potential of regular aerobic exercise to preserve cognition and mitigate age-related cognitive decline, reinforcing the hypothesis that CRF is a modifiable factor for healthy brain aging within most people’s locus of control.

15 Ways Cardiofitness Can Boost Brain Power

While the precise neural mechanisms linking higher cardiorespiratory fitness to improved cognitive function in older adults remain complex, science has identified at least 15 evidence-based ways that cardio and enhanced CRF can boost brain power:

1. Increased Cerebral Blood Flow: Aerobic exercise pushes oxygen-rich blood to the brain, enhancing cognitive performance. This boost in cerebral blood flow (CBF) supports vital nutrient delivery and waste removal.
2. Elevated Neurotrophic Factors: Cardio raises Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) levels, which supports neuronal growth, repair, and survival. Elevated BDNF is a key driver of neurogenesis and improved brain plasticity.
3. Enhanced Neuroplasticity: Regular aerobic activity strengthens the brain’s adaptability by fostering new neural connections and enhancing neuroplasticity. This process improves learning, memory, and resilience against brain aging.
4. Synaptogenesis: Cardio promotes the formation of new synapses, enhancing neural communication and optimizing processes like problem-solving and memory retention. Physical activity safeguards synapses as we age.
5. Reduced Oxidative Stress: By enhancing antioxidant defenses, exercise protects neurons from oxidative damage of free radicals, slowing cognitive decline and reducing neurodegenerative risks.
6. Grey Matter Preservation: Aerobic exercise helps maintain grey matter volume and “bigger brains,” which are critical for decision-making, memory, and emotion regulation, particularly in aging brains.
7. White Matter Integrity: Cardio strengthens white matter pathways, facilitating fast and efficient communication between different brain regions by optimizing whole-brain connectivity.
8. Stress Hormone Regulation: Exercise lowers cortisol levels, shielding the hippocampus from stress-related damage while supporting emotional stability.
9. Inflammation Reduction: Physical activity reduces neuroinflammation, which contributes to cognitive decline and conditions like brain fog.
10. Improved Neurotransmitter Balance: Aerobic workouts boost dopamine (motivation), serotonin (mood regulation), and acetylcholine (attention and learning), fostering optimal brain function.
11. Vascular Health: Improved heart and vessel function in fit people reduces their risks of hypertension and stroke. It optimizes blood flow to the brain and sharpens the mind.
12. Better Sleep Quality: Regular exercise enhances deep sleep and time spent in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stages, leading to more vivid dreams, better memory consolidation, and healthier emotional processing.
13. Promotes Happiness: Movement is medicine that supports psychological well-being. Doing cardio offsets depression and alleviates anxiety, creating a happier emotional state that indirectly supports cognitive health.
14. More Energy, Less Fatigue: Cardio enhances energy levels by improving cardiovascular and mitochondrial function, promoting sharper focus and better mental endurance for challenging thinking tasks.
15. Cognitive Reserve Fortification: Consistent aerobic activity builds resilience against age-related cognitive decline and dementia by strengthening the brain’s adaptability and reserve capacity.

Take-Home Message

Cardiofitness is a powerful and accessible tool for promoting healthier aging. Studies, including the IGNITE study and a large-scale analysis of almost 2 million older adults, reveal that doing aerobic activity and improving cardiorespiratory fitness—particularly after age 60—can extend lifespan and preserve or enhance cognition.

Engaging in at least 150 minutes of weekly cardio lowers the risk of dying young while helping to preserve cognitive function, protecting against neurodegenerative diseases, and supporting psychological well-being. By prioritizing cardiofitness and incorporating aerobic workouts into our daily routines, we can safeguard brain health and maintain sharper mental acuity well into late adulthood.