The role of exercise-induced muscle-brain crosstalk in brain health: a narrative review

Paper ID : 1574-SPORTCONGRESS

Authors

Mahbod Rezaei *, Majid Mardaniyan Ghahfarrokhi, Mahdi Mohammad beigi, Ali karkhane ندارم

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: The link between sarcopenia and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's suggests shared biology, spurring research on muscle-brain health. An aging global population faces increased age-related physical and cognitive impairments, straining healthcare. Muscle-brain crosstalk explains how exercise boosts brain function. This narative review examines exercise's impact, focusing on myokines and myometabolites in boosting brain health, integrating findings to identify avenues for fighting age-related cognitive decline. Methods: By searching for the keywords exercise; physical activity; exercise training; exercise adaptations; sarcopenia; Alzheimer's; cognitive impairment; cognition; brain; muscle; myokine; muscle metabolites; crosstalk, related articles were searched from electronic databases up to March 2025 and included in the study. The information was categorized exploratoryly and presented based on a scientific framework. Results: This review addresses exercise releases endocrine signals protecting against cognitive decline, enhancing neuroplasticity, and promoting brain health, effectively slowing brain aging, enhancing cognition, alleviating depression, improving sleep, and promoting well-being. Moreover, muscle-brain communication occurs via myokines and myometabolites crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This review also highlights that Key molecules like irisin, neurotoxin kynurenine (KYN), cathepsin B (CTSB), interlucine-6 (IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and specially brain drived neurothrophic factor (BDNF) as a key trophic signalling molecule in the brain, also key metabolite such lactate as a key mediator for myokine release and minerals such as iron as an emerging factor in the muscle–brain axis promote neuronal proliferation, synaptic plasticity, and cognitive function. Conclusion: Exercise may protect against mood and neurodegenerative disorders, but current evidence is limited to animal or short-term studies, necessitating large, long-term human trials. Optimal exercise parameters require clarification. Future research should combine exercise with pharmacological or nutritional interventions. Optimization of exercise "doses" for myokine profiles, point-of-care myokine assays, and multi-omics data integration to personalize exercise prescriptions for older adults should be explored.

Keywords

Exercise, Muscle, Brain, Cross-talk.

Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation)