New research sheds light on how high-intensity resistance training can influence memory and brain function. The findings, published in the journal Brain and Behavior, provide evidence that a single session of such exercise can enhance memory performance and alter the functional connectivity within the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for memory formation.
Previous studies have highlighted the benefits of physical exercise, including aerobic and resistance training, on memory and brain health. However, the specific impact of resistance training on memory remained less understood. Resistance training, characterized by muscle-strengthening activities, has been known to improve various aspects of physical and mental health across all age groups.
Notably, in rodents, it was found to enhance neuroplasticity in the hippocampus, suggesting a potential mechanism for memory improvement. Given this background, the researchers hypothesized that high-intensity resistance training could bolster the hippocampal network, thereby improving memory performance.
“Previous studies have shown physical training can improve memory and we aimed to verify this over a short period,” said study author Teruo Hashimoto, an assistant professor of functional brain imaging at Tohoku University.
The study involved 60 healthy young adults who were not regularly engaged in resistance training. These participants, comprising both men and women aged 19–27, were divided into a training group and a control group. The training group underwent a session of muscle strength training, while the control group did not engage in any muscle training. Various measures were employed to assess the participants’ memory performance and brain function, including verbal recall tests and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine hippocampal functional connectivity.
The verbal recall tests consisted of free recall and cued recall tests conducted before and two days after the intervention. Meanwhile, the MRI scans were used to analyze changes in the connectivity of the hippocampus.
The MRI data revealed increased connectivity between certain regions of the hippocampus and other parts of the brain in the training group. This enhanced connectivity was associated with the observed improvements in memory performance, supporting the hypothesis that resistance training can positively affect the brain’s memory-related networks.
The results also showed significant improvements in memory performance in the training group compared to the control group. Specifically, participants in the training group were able to recall a higher percentage of words from a list they had learned two days earlier.
Hashimoto was surprised to be able to observe “correlations between memory enhancement and changes in brain network induced by a single bout of resistance training.”
The findings indicate that “a single bout of resistance training can be effective in improving memory and brain function after a few days.” However, Hashimoto noted that the “memory enhancement detected in this study was statistically significant but very small.”
The study opens several avenues for future research, including exploring the long-term effects of resistance training on memory and brain function, understanding the optimal intensity and frequency of training for cognitive benefits, and examining the effects on different populations. Hashimoto and his colleagues plan to conduct additional research to explore the relationships between body condition and neurocognitive function.
The study, “Enhanced memory and hippocampal connectivity in humans 2 days after brief resistance exercise,” was authored by Teruo Hashimoto, Rikimasa Hotta, and Ryuta Kawashima.