Effects of aerobic exercise intervention on the association between brain functional connectivity and cognition among older adults

Myungjin Jung; Marco Pipoly; Bryan Madero; Chris Oehler; Kelsey Baller; Vincent A. Magnotta; Jeffrey D. Long; Gary L. Pierce; Michelle W. Voss

doi:10.1016/j.nbas.2026.100162

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Effects of aerobic exercise intervention on the association between brain functional connectivity and cognition among older adults

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Effects of aerobic exercise intervention on the association between brain functional connectivity and cognition among older adults

Myungjin Jung, Marco Pipoly, Bryan Madero, Chris Oehler, Kelsey Baller, Vincent A. Magnotta, Jeffrey D. Long, Gary L. Pierce and Michelle W. Voss

Aging brain, Vol.10, 100162

2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.nbas.2026.100162

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Abstract

Chronic aerobic exercise is known to protect against brain and cognitive aging in animals, but it remains unclear whether these benefits are consistent across the span of older adulthood. Using time-varying effect modeling (TVEM) analysis, this study investigated how the associations between changes in cognition and brain network functional connectivity (FC), induced by a 6-month aerobic exercise intervention, vary with age among older adults aged 55 to 80 (n = 107). Participants were divided into two groups based on exercise intensity: moderate-to-vigorous (ModVig group) and light-intensity (Light group). Before and after the intervention, participants completed cognitive tasks measuring executive function (EF) and processing speed (PS) and underwent resting-state fMRI sessions. FC was assessed across large-scale brain networks, including the frontoparietal control (FPCN), default mode (DMN), dorsal attention (DAN), limbic (LN), salience (SN), somatomotor (SMN), and visual network (VN). Change scores for each cognitive task and FC network were calculated by subtracting pre-intervention scores from post-intervention scores. Older adults in the ModVig group demonstrated improved PS performance at ages 58 to 65 and increased FC at ages 67 to 69 in the DAN. When individuals were exposed to ModVig intensity exercise, increases in FC within the FPCN, DMN, and SN were associated with improved EF and PS performance in those in their mid-60s to mid-70s. These findings support the importance of targeting higher moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise intensity for interventions, particularly in this age group, to enhance brain and cognitive health.

Cognitive performance

Neural network

Physical activity

Resting state fMRI

Time-varying effect modeling

Details

Title: Subtitle: Effects of aerobic exercise intervention on the association between brain functional connectivity and cognition among older adults
Creators: Myungjin Jung - University of North Texas
Marco Pipoly - University of Iowa
Bryan Madero - University of Iowa
Chris Oehler - University of Iowa
Kelsey Baller - University of Iowa
Vincent A. Magnotta - University of Iowa
Jeffrey D. Long - University of Iowa
Gary L. Pierce - University of Iowa
Michelle W. Voss - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Aging brain, Vol.10, 100162
DOI: 10.1016/j.nbas.2026.100162
ISSN: 2589-9589
eISSN: 2589-9589
Publisher: Elsevier Inc
Grant note: National Institute on Aging: R01 AG055500 High-end instrumentation grant: S10OD025025
This work was supported by National Institute on Aging (R01 AG055500) . MR imaging was performed on equipment supported by High-end instrumentation grant S10OD025025.
Language: English
Date published: 2026
Academic Unit: Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Radiology; Psychiatry; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biostatistics; Health, Sport, and Human Physiology ; Internal Medicine
Record Identifier: 9985214917202771

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