Move your mind

Exercise has many health benefits, including for our brains. Recent discoveries at UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute offer new clues about the mechanisms that generate exercise’s positive effects. In their labs, Dr Tara Walker and Professor Jana Vukovic investigate how exercise enhances cognitive capacity from different angles. They study various mechanisms that can improve learning, memory, and neurogenesis. They are both on the cusp of clinical trials to begin translating their findings into practice.  In this captivating conversation, Tara and Jana explore:How exercise impacts the brainThe process of neurogenesisWhether we can replicate the effects of exerciseHow exercise affects the brain’s primary immune cells (microglia) Why they want to see exercise prescribedRelated papers and resources Exercise can help slow cognitive declineWhat the evidence tells us about exercise and healthy brain ageingPlatelets can replicate the benefits of exercise in the brainUQ research reveals exercise brain boost can last for years