Scientific Programme

Exchange Symposia

IS-EX02 - JSPFSM-ECSS Exchange Symposium: New perspective of exercise-cognition interaction

Date: 02.07.2025, Time: 08:00 - 09:15, Session Room: Anfiteatro

Description

Decades of research have identified that exercise/physical activity supports brain function. In particular, it is well established that acute exercise has the potential to benefit several domains of cognitive function. However, a number of questions remain unanswered. For example, are the beneficial effects of exercise on cognition dependent on time? Can passive exercise (i.e., without voluntary motor control) also benefit cognition? What mechanisms underly acute exercise-related improvements to cognition? To answer these questions, we present a multi-faceted exchange symposium. Our first speaker will discuss the time-dependent effects of physical activity on executive function and mood; with naturalistic studies in children and university students, as well as shift workers. Our second speaker will discuss how passive exercise affects cognition and proposes the potential for passive exercise to support brain health and cognition in various contexts. Finally, our third speaker will explain mechanistic insights into the association between acute exercise and cognitive performance with a special focus on endogenous dopamine release in response to acute exercise. This exchange symposium extends our knowledge of the interactions between exercise and cognition and helps us to understand the importance and far-reaching implications of exercise to promote cognitive health.