Exercise has many beneficial effects on brain and behavior outcomes. Reports in both human and rodents indicate that exercise improves learning and memory; increases circulating proteins that support brain function, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF); and, in rodents, increases generation of new neurons in the adult hippocampus (Voss et al. 2013). In addition, clinical studies show beneficial cognitive effects following exercise in normal aging, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease (reviewed in Yau et al. 2014). No published studies to date have implemented an exercise intervention to improve cognitive and behavioral outcomes in individuals with FASD, but preliminary data and preclinical results are promising, as described below.
