Lead Editor:
Dr Yuzhen Xu,
Shandong First Medical University,
China
The intricate relationship between physical exercise, metabolic health, and cognitive function represents one of the most promising frontiers in neuroscience and preventive medicine. As global populations age and the prevalence of cognitive impairment continues to rise, understanding how exercise and metabolic interventions can preserve and enhance brain health has become increasingly critical. Emerging evidence demonstrates that exercise exerts profound neuroprotective effects through multiple interconnected pathways, including improved cerebrovascular function, enhanced neuroplasticity, reduced neuroinflammation, and optimized metabolic homeostasis. The brain's high metabolic demands make it particularly susceptible to metabolic dysfunction, with conditions such as insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and mitochondrial dysfunction serving as key mediators between systemic metabolic health and cognitive decline. Recent breakthrough research has revealed that exercise-induced metabolic adaptations—including improved glucose utilization, enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis, and optimized lipid metabolism—directly influence cognitive performance across the lifespan. These findings have significant implications for developing targeted interventions to prevent age-related cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, and neurodegenerative diseases. This Special Issue aims to consolidate cutting-edge research examining the mechanistic links between exercise, metabolism, and cognitive health. By bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives from exercise physiology, neuroscience, metabolism research, and clinical medicine, we seek to advance our understanding of how physical activity and metabolic interventions can be leveraged to maintain cognitive vitality and prevent cognitive impairment across diverse populations and age groups. Possible Topic Lists: Exercise-induced neuroplasticity mechanisms in aging populations and their relationship to metabolic biomarkers Mitochondrial dysfunction as a therapeutic target: exercise interventions for cognitive preservation Insulin resistance, brain glucose metabolism, and exercise-based interventions in mild cognitive impairment The gut-brain-muscle axis: microbiome-mediated effects of exercise on cognitive function High-intensity interval training versus aerobic exercise: comparative effects on cognitive and metabolic outcomes Exercise prescription for neurodegenerative diseases: optimizing metabolic pathways for brain health Sex differences in exercise-metabolism-cognition interactions across the lifespan Nutritional strategies combined with exercise for enhancing cognitive resilience and metabolic health Biomarkers of exercise-induced cognitive improvement: metabolomics and neuroimaging approaches Precision medicine approaches to exercise prescription based on individual metabolic and genetic profiles.
Submission deadline:
01/11/2026
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