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 brain
• The process of neurogenesis
• Whether we can replicate the effects of exercise
• How exercise affects the brain’s primary immune cells (microglia) 
• Why they want to see exercise prescribed

Related papers and resources 

Exercise can help slow cognitive decline

What the evidence tells us about exercise and healthy brain ageing

Platelets can replicate the benefits of exercise in the brain

UQ research reveals exercise brain boost can last for years