Increased blood flow to the brain during exercise can increase mental engagement, researchers say.
We already know that exercise is good for the heart and reduces obesity. But now new research reveals how exercise can actually cause physical changes in the brain. Researchers at Oregon Health and Sciences University conducted new research using non-human primates. A group of 24 monkeys did either treadmill training, or remained sedentary. Following the exercise period, scientists then measured the volume of small blood vessels, called capillaries, in the motor cortex region of the brain.

They found higher brain capillary volume in those monkeys who exercised than in those monkeys who did not. Specifically, changes were most noted in older animals that were less fit at the start of the study. The researchers also evaluated the animals' cognitive performance using standard tests. They found that the animals in the performance group were more aroused, alert and engaged than animals in the control group. Animals in the exercise group also learned to do a performance test more quickly. The researchers now believe that this animal model could be very useful for learning more about the impact of exercise on human performance.