Bridging Brain and Body: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Exercise and Cognitive Health

The relationship between physical activity and cognitive health has become an important focus in neuroscience, behavioral medicine, and health research. In the context of increasingly sedentary lifestyles and growing cognitive demands, understanding how the body influences the brain is more important than ever. A central concept in this field is neuroplasticity, as physical exercise may induce structural and functional changes in the brain that support cognitive function and resilience against aging and neurological decline.Another important but often underexplored aspect is cognitive fatigue. In modern daily life, mental exhaustion is increasingly common, and there is growing interest in how physical activity may help mitigate cognitive fatigue, restore cognitive resources, and support psychological well-being. At the same time, advances in neuroimaging and biomarker-based approaches now provide new opportunities to examine brain–body interactions in real time and to better understand how different forms of movement influence cognition, behavior, and brain health.This Research Topic aims to explore the synergistic relationship between the brain and body by examining how physical exercise may enhance cognitive function, support neuroplasticity, and promote overall brain health. By bringing together perspectives from kinesiology, neuroscience, psychology, and clinical medicine, the collection seeks to provide a multidisciplinary and integrative understanding of the exercise–cognition nexus.A further goal is to address ongoing questions about the mechanisms through which exercise influences the brain, as these remain only partially understood despite the well-established benefits of physical activity. By consolidating evidence across molecular, neurophysiological, neuroimaging, cognitive, behavioral, and clinical levels, this Topic aims to help clarify how different exercise modalities influence brain, cognitive processes, and behavior, and to support the development of more targeted and evidence-based strategies for cognitive health across the lifespan.This Research Topic welcomes contributions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:- the impact of acute and chronic exercise on neuroplasticity, brain connectivity, and functional brain organization- neurological and physiological mechanisms underlying the alleviation of cognitive fatigue through movement- behavioral and psychological outcomes associated with exercise-induced cognitive enhancement- comparative studies of different exercise modalities and their specific effects on cognitive domains- real-time monitoring of brain, cognitive processes, and behavior during physical activity using advanced neuroimaging and physiological techniques, including fNIRS, EEG, and fMRI- longitudinal studies investigating physical exercise as a preventive strategy for cognitive decline across different populations- multidisciplinary perspectives linking molecular mechanisms, neuroimaging findings, cognitive and behavioral outcomes, and clinical interventions in the study of exercise and cognitive healthWe welcome a range of manuscript types, including Original Research, Review, Systematic Review, Mini Review, Brief Research Report, and Case Study. Topic editors: Min-Seong Ha, Jaehoon Seol, Johan van Heerden Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79712/bridging-brain-and-body-multidisciplinary-perspectives-on-exercise-and-cognitive-health