The Exercising Brain: Cognitive Neuroscience Perspectives on Physical Activity and Mental Health

The relationship between physical activity and mental health has long been recognized; however, it has only been in recent decades that cognitive neuroscience has begun to elucidate the underlying neural mechanisms. Converging evidence from neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and neurochemical studies indicates that exercise induces profound changes in brain structure and function. These biological processes are increasingly understood to mediate the beneficial effects of physical activity on mood, cognitive function, and resilience to psychological stress. However, despite this progress, the cognitive neuroscience of exercise remains an underexplored frontier, with the precise mechanisms through which physical activity promotes mental health still incompletely understood.This Research Topic aims to advance our understanding of how physical activity influences brain function and mental health from a sport and exercise science perspective. Although the mental health benefits of regular exercise are well established in epidemiological and clinical research, the psychological and neurocognitive mechanisms that explain why and how physical activity produces these effects remain less understood. The increasing application of artificial intelligence methods in this field brings both new opportunities for analyzing complex behavioral and neural data and challenges regarding interpretability and implementation. Key questions warranting further investigation include: (1) What are the differential effects of aerobic training, resistance exercise, and team sports on cognitive performance, emotional well-being, and psychological resilience? (2) What psychological factors, including motivation, enjoyment, and self-efficacy, moderate or mediate the cognitive benefits derived from physical activity? (3) How do exercise intensity, duration, and frequency shape the acute and chronic effects on brain function and mental health outcomes? (4) What practical exercise prescriptions can be developed to optimize cognitive and psychological benefits for diverse populations, ranging from youth to older adults? By integrating cognitive neuroscience methods with sport and exercise psychology, this Research Topic seeks to bridge the gap between laboratory-based mechanistic research and real-world physical activity interventions, ultimately informing evidence-based exercise recommendations that promote both physical and mental health.（5）How can artificial intelligence methods be harnessed to better understand and promote the cognitive and mental health benefits of physical activity?This Research Topic welcomes original research, systematic reviews, and methodological contributions that explore the relationship between physical activity and brain health from a sport and exercise science perspective. Specific themes of interest include:- Comparative effects of different exercise modalities (aerobic, resistance, team sports, high-intensity interval training) on cognitive function, emotional well-being, and psychological resilience.- Psychological mechanisms (motivation, enjoyment, self-efficacy, adherence) that mediate or moderate the cognitive benefits of physical activity.- Dose-response relationships between exercise intensity, duration, and frequency and their effects on brain health outcomes.- Application of cognitive neuroscience methods (EEG, fNIRS, neuropsychological testing) to assess exercise-induced changes in brain function.- Translational research linking laboratory findings to practical exercise prescriptions for diverse populations across the lifespan.- Utilization of artificial intelligence methods (e.g., machine learning for sensor or behavioral data analysis, computer vision for movement assessment) in understanding and promoting the cognitive and mental health benefits of physical activity.We encourage submissions that combine rigorous experimental designs with ecologically valid physical activity interventions. Both empirical studies and comprehensive reviews are welcome. Topic editors: QiQi Shen, Lei Cui, Manuel Enrique Hernandez Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80934/the-exercising-brain-cognitive-neuroscience-perspectives-on-physical-activity-and-mental-health