A study led by scientists at Rutgers University-New Brunswick has shown that specialized cells involved in how the body responds to insulin are activated in the brain after exercise, suggesting that physical activity may directly improve brain function. A recent study, published in Aging Cell, a journal focused on the biology of aging, indicates that therapies targeting this insulin action may be developed to offset or even prevent dementia progression.
“We believe this work is important because it suggests exercise may work to improve cognition and memory by improving the abilities of insulin to act on the brain,” said Steven Malin, an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health in the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences and lead author of the study. Conducted in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging, the researchers focused on the role of neuronal extracellular vesicles, specialized cells released by the brain. To read the full story.