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The Biological Impact of Exercise on Cognition
Specific Aims:
Exercise is well known for its numerous physiological benefits such as improving sleep
patterns, lowering blood pressure, strengthening the heart and lungs, and preventing diseases.
Equally important, and often disregarded, are the benefits which exercise has on cognitive
functioning. Researchers discovered that there is a “mind-body” connection. There are specific
chemicals in the body that play a substantial role at improving cognition, and it is these
hormones and neurotransmitters that are released during exercise and movement. The effect of
these biological chemicals on the brain include quicker thinking, improved memory, and,
therefore, a higher GPA. Extended research continually demonstrates that those who perform
aerobic exercise regularly have greater cognition and score higher on tests. The aspect which
appears to be unclear, though, is the exercise frequency and duration that is necessary to gain the
cognitive benefits.
There is so much that is unknown about the human brain; why it does what it does and,
more complexly, how it goes about doing it. Being a Biology/Pre-Med major, I find it intriguing
that everything we consume and everything we do has an effect on our brain. My objective in
doing this research is to determine the effect that exercise has on cognitive functioning and how
it relates to students’ grades. There has been much more research completed regarding the effects
that exercise has on the brain over time. To date, however, there is not sufficient research on the
immediate effects of exercise, and I would like to explore that further.
Dr. Buckley is the professor of Exercise Physiology at Aurora University, and an expert
on analyzing body composition and exercise’s effect on the body. Collectively, we are the best

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team to do this study because we are passionate about this topic, and each of us would bring our
own distinct knowledge to the table in order to complete this study appropriately. My hypothesis
is that Aurora University students who perform acute aerobic exercise for forty-five minutes
before taking their final will have greater growth than the sedentary group when comparing their
midterm exam grade to their final exam grade.
Specific Aim 1: To determine the effect acute aerobic exercise has on cognition after forty-five
minutes.
Hypothesis: I hypothesize that the individuals in the exercise group will demonstrate
improvement on the final exam and the individuals who do not exercise before the exam will
have a similar score to the midterm score.
Specific Aim 2: To determine whether or not there is a significant difference in scores between
those who exercise versus the sedentary group.
Hypothesis: The exercisers will demonstrate greater growth overall on the final exam.
Specific Aim 3: To provide information to school boards regarding the effect of exercise on
cognition so they can make appropriate improvements to the academic curriculum.
Hypothesis: I predict there to be a positive correlation between those who exercise before taking
a test versus those who remain sedentary.
Neuroscience has been greatly expanding, and researchers are constantly looking for
innovative breakthroughs. Being that many school boards are eliminating recess and gym class
from schools in an effort to improve students’ grades, it is crucial that solid evidence is found to
prove that recess and gym class is vital for students. This applies especially to pre-adolescents

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whose brains are still developing and are very “plastic.” Academically, the United States is far
behind other countries. If more studies like this continue to demonstrate the importance of
exercise on improving cognition, this could have a huge impact on the academic curriculum.
This being said, I expect to see that those who perform acute aerobic activity before taking their
final exam will see improvement in the growth from their midterm to final exam letter grades.
Literature Review:
I have compiled extensive research regarding the correlation between exercise and
improved cognitive functioning. According to Ratey (2008), “In today’s technology-driven,
plasma-screened-in world, it’s easy to forget that we are born movers- animals, in fact- because
we’ve engineered movement right out of our lives” (P.3). Many individuals have become
accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle, and some forget the important role that exercise plays in
their lives. Exercise is so vital, in fact, that it is the way in which advanced brains developed;
they developed while we were moving. The ancestors of human beings did not have the lives of
luxury that many have today, and in order to survive they were forced to move, often twelve or
more miles per day, in search of food and shelter (Medina 2008). Exercise has many
physiological benefits and even aids in disease prevention. During aerobic exercise, oxygen
uptake into the bloodstream is elevated and carbon dioxide is expelled. This increased oxygen
intake speeds up cellular processes and improves mitochondrial functioning in active muscles
(Katch, McArdle, Katch 2001). The ease of blood circulation throughout the heart and its
accompanying arteries is increased when the arteries vasodilate during exercise, enabling the
person’s blood pressure to decline (Katch et al. 2001). This is what leads to the physiological
health benefits that most individuals are familiar with already. Nonetheless, when these
biological processes are taking place neuroplasticity is occurring in the brain.

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According to Knaepen et al. (2010), neuroplasticity is the brain and CNS’ ability to
change to an environment and form different connections (P.766). Neuroplasticity takes place
during both aerobic and anaerobic activities, such as weight lifting and running. The most
cognitive gains, namely memory and quicker thinking, have been observed during aerobic
activity. Along with this, experiments with various groups of people, ranging from athletes to
people with mental disabilities, demonstrated higher Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)
concentrations in their blood serum. BDNF is one of the key neurotransmitters in the body which
leads to improved cognition (Gligoroska and Manchevska 2012). The people with disabilities
who did not work out often had the highest concentrations in their blood, while athletes had the
least. The theory here is that athletes are accustomed to exercising and the BDNF is taken up and
processed so rapidly and efficiently that it does not linger in the bloodstream (Knaepen et al.
2010), P.793).
How much exercise is enough though to gain improved cognition? This is the real topic
in question. As it turns out, sometimes less is more. Many people have the misconception that to
gain the cognitive and physiological benefits, they must do strenuous types of exercises for long
periods of time. According to Ploughman (2008), however, acute aerobic exercise leads to
greater cognitive gains (P.238). Additionally, Ploughman’s (2008) study demonstrated that after
one week of voluntary exercise, the increase in BDNF in rats’ brains enabled them to have
improved spatial memory and better remember the location of a platform while traveling through
a maze (P.237). There is not specific data regarding a set amount of exercise, the frequency, and
the precise types of exercise one must carry out to gain the cognitive benefits as of this time.
According to many of the authors, “this area needs to be further researched.”

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Through correlational studies of middle school students who had above average scores
for physical activities such as sit and reach, long jump, push ups, sit ups, and jumping jacks, also
had better academic achievements than those students who were not physically fit. Aerobic
fitness was directly linked to better reading and math test scores (Tomporowski et al. 2008). This
is not surprising, considering that increased oxygen uptake, movement of muscles producing
Insulin-Like Growth Factor (IGF-1) and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) proteins,
and the mass production of various hormones and neurotransmitters throughout the body
improve cognition. Castelli et al. (2007) performed an experiment examining 259 students in
third and fifth grade to determine if there was a positive correlation between physical activity
and higher academic achievement. The Fitnessgram was utilized to carry out the experiment.
Fitnessgram is an exercise program consisting of different types of exercises, such as The
Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER), as well as analysis of body
composition and BMI. The end result showed that low BMI and plenty of aerobic activity were
associated with greater academic achievement (P.245).
In the United States, 65% of adults are obese and 10% of the population suffers from
diabetes (Ratey 2008). The United States is also behind academically when compared to other
countries. This being said, it is astonishing that most school districts are removing physical
education from the curriculum (Ratey 2008). Unfortunately, neuroscientists and members on the
school boards do not collaborate on this issue, and board members think they are going to see an
improvement in students grades by removing recess and physical education in order to focus
more on core classes. However, if they had been informed about the research that proves there is
a “mind-body” connection between exercise and improved cognition, it is likely that this would
not be the case.

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There are numerous physiological benefits of exercise which are directly linked to brain
functioning. Specifically, the endocrine system is responsible for positive changes that occur in
the brain during and after exercise. Some of the hormones that are increased during exercise are
serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, glutamate, and gammaaminobutyric acid (GABA). These
neurotransmitters are responsible for the responses and signals within the brain (Ratey 2008).
Gligoroska and Manchevska (2012) state that the various hormones and neurotransmitters, along
with necessary nutrients, are carried throughout the body and to the brain when blood flow is
increased during exercise (P.199). According to Ratey (2008), the neurotransmitter most
involved in learning is glutamate. Glutamate and GABA are responsible for “fine tuning” the
flow of signals in the brain which aids in learning and enables individuals to focus better.
Another molecule, BDNF, is equally important in the functioning of the neural system. It
functions as the infrastructure of the neurons and is the “miracle grow” in this scenario (Ratey
2008). BDNF enables the dendritic branches to expand and grow while forming new
connections, which allows for quicker thinking. These hormones and neurotransmitters work
synergistically, all completing similar tasks, and ensuring that the neurons are functioning
properly. Higher levels of these chemicals in the brain and body are desirable, because they help
to improve cognition and ensure more efficient firing of neurons (Gligoroska and Manchevska
2012). Similarly, Gligoroska and Manchevska (2012) noted an increase in axons in the cortical
region of the frontal lobe, which is the region associated with higher level thinking (P.200).
Muscles also play a role in the chemicals and proteins used to increase brain functioning
by releasing certain proteins, known as IGF-1 and VEGF proteins, into the bloodstream and they
travel up to the brain to aid in the growth and proper brain functioning (Ratey 2008). Recently it
has been demonstrated through research of these hormones and proteins that the brain is rather

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“plastic.” This means that it is able to be molded every time it processes new information (Ratey
2008). It is very similar to the way muscles use amino acids and peptide proteins to rebuild
themselves after a workout. When comparing a sedentary individual’s brain to someone who
exercises on a regular basis, it is evident that the active individual’s brain has more BDNF and
higher concentrations of neurotransmitters responsible for improved cognition. In contrast, the
sedentary individual’s neurons have actually begun to be depleted due to lack of use. The athlete
also has improved blood flow, due to increased nitric oxide, which is a flow-regulating molecule
that enables blood flow to expand throughout the body; particularly the dentate gyrus region of
the brain, creating a rich environment for the growth of new neurons and blood vessels (Medina
2008). In the brain, the hippocampus contains the dentate gyrus region which is responsible for
memory. During and after exercise, the increased blood flow in this region allows for the growth
of new neurons and capillaries; it literally increases the brain’s volume and blood volume in the
memory areas of the brain. This further supports improved cognition and memory, along with all
of the increased hormone and protein secretions during exercise that play a role in cognitive
growth (Medina 2008).
Numerous studies have been completed on students in an effort to determine if there is, in
fact, a direct correlation between exercise, test scores, and GPA. According to Cressy (2011), it
was noted that college students who utilized the campus recreation center had not only a higher
GPA, but also more of a desire to learn and higher retention rates. Additionally, it was
discovered that college males who were active in sports or worked out on a regular basis were
4% more likely to graduate than non-athletes (Cressy 2011). A study involving middle and high
school boys and girls showed similar results. According to Fox, Barr-Anderson, Neumark-
Sztainer, and Wall (2010), it was demonstrated that middle school boys, high school boys, and

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high school girls had significantly higher GPA than non-athletes. Middle school girls had no
significant data. This study was based on student athletes only and not students who chose to
exercise on their own time, so there has been some debate about whether it is the sports team
participation itself or the actual physical activity that is correlated with the improved GPA in this
case (Fox et al. 2010).
Although, Hillman, Castelli, and Buck’s (2005) experiment demonstrated that more fit
individuals had greater neurocognition. Twenty-four children and twenty-seven adults were
asked to push a button once they were subjected to various stimuli, such as a picture of a dog.
Their cognitive processing speed and latency was recorded. Physically fit adults had greater P3
amplitude than their peers, while physically fit children had greater P3 amplitude than other kids
who did not exercise (P.1971). P3 is an endogenous element of event related potential (ERP) that
occurs 300-800ms after the stimuli is initiated. The potential is produced when an individual
attempts to differentiate between the given stimuli. The P3 is measured in microvolts, and is
basically the brain electrical response to the stimuli. In addition to the P3 being evaluated, the
latency was also determined in this study. The latency is measured in milliseconds and reflects
the response time to a given stimuli. Therefore, the shorter latency indicates faster cognitive
processing speed. In this particular study, adults that participated in regular aerobic exercise had
greater P3 amplitude and faster latency.
It is apparent that there is a definite correlation between exercise and students having
higher test scores and GPA. There are various biological components that play a significant role
during and after exercise that aid in the development and growth of neurons in the brain. This
allows for better cognitive function, therefore resulting in students having better grades overall.
Students on sports teams are not the only ones to benefit from improved cognition. Individuals

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who exercise regularly on their own time also have been shown to have improved cognitive
functioning. Although the social aspect of participating on a sports’ team may be motivating, the
extensive research demonstrates that the biological components aid in improved cognitive
functioning. Studies have been done at various universities on many students across the country,
and the results show that there is, in fact, a correlation between exercise and students having
better grades as a result. The factors that need to be further researched are the duration,
frequency, and specific types of exercise that need to be done in order to gain the cognitive
benefits.
Experimental Design:
In knowing the positive effects exercise has on the brain overall, I felt that it would be
beneficial to go further and analyze the effects that acute aerobic exercise has on the brain. In
order to do this, eight Aurora University students were selected on a voluntary basis from Dr.
Buckley’s Fitness and Health Promotion class. After the experimental design was approved by
the Institutional Review Board, students were informed by an informational consent form
acknowledging that there is minimal risk in participating in the experiment. The possible risks
included any form of injury that could occur by running on a treadmill, such as, pulling a muscle
or rolling an ankle. The students were also informed that they may quit participating in the
experiment at any time without penalty. Each student received his or her own copy to keep, and I
collected the additional copy to have on file.
The study took place in the Wellness Center at Aurora University. Four volunteers were
asked to remain sedentary and complete absolutely no physical activity the morning of their final
exam. The other four volunteers were asked to either ride a bike or run on the treadmill while

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remaining in their target heart rate zone (65-80% of the max.) for forty-five minutes. Before they
began, they were asked to complete a demographics sheet stating their gender, age, BMI, target
heart rate zone, how many hours a week they perform aerobic and weight training exercise, as
well as some qualitative questions regarding exercise’s impact on cognition. Once everyone,
including the four sedentary individuals, completed the demographics sheets they were turned in
and no names were attached them for privacy. The four exercisers completed the physical
activity while the four people in the sedentary group did not perform any exercise before their
final exam. Everyone had thirty minutes to complete the cumulative final exam, and growth was
compared for each student from their individual midterm exams and final exam letter grades. See
data in Table 1 below.
Table 1: Results demonstrating growth by one individual in the exercising category and one
individual in the non-exercising category.
The outcome that I expected to see was that the individuals who exercised before their
final exam would demonstrate greater growth from their midterm to final exam grades. This was
not the case, and my hypothesis had been false. Some possible variables and factors that came
into play that could be improved is the small sample size, the amount of time the individuals
exercised for, lack of gender specificity, using two types of workout equipment, lack of
knowledge regarding students’ workout history, and lack of knowledge regarding what kind of
student the individuals were. The main variable was probably the small sample size. It is difficult
Group Type Age Gender hrs/wk ex. hrs/wk wgt. BMI Targ. HR Athlete Midterm Final
Exe. tread. 21 m 3 7 to 10 27.33 119-159 no A- A
exe. tread. 22 m 5 to 7 5 to 7 26 119-198 no C C-
exe. bike 22 f 6 to 10 6 23.96 118-158 yes,CC B+ B-
exe. bike 22 f 5 2 26.2 119-158 no A- B+
non sed. 21 f 4.5 2.5 23.5 119.4-159.2 yes, soc A- B
non sed, 21 m 3 3 25.5 119-159 yes,lacr. B- B
non sed. 23 f 2 to 3 0 17.5 118.2-157.6 no C- D+

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to gather significant data without having that much to examine. Also, with a larger sample size
statistical equations could have been utilized for more accurate data collection. Being that the
sample size was so small, qualitative data was also taken into consideration. Students were
asked, “After performing aerobic exercise, do you feel that there is a link between your own
exercise habits and the ability to complete tasks, such as writing papers or various homework
activities?” All eight students responded by saying that they feel aerobic exercise positively
impacts their exercise habits and their ability to perform on school work. Additionally, students
were asked, “Do you feel that aerobic exercise impacts your grades at all and benefits you
mentally and not just physically?” Seven out of eight students said “yes.” Putting quantitative
data aside and examining the qualitative data, it is evident that there is something to be said
about the physiological experience the students feel after exercise. There must be some sort of
correlation if they are all agreeing that aerobic exercise is beneficial to cognition and
productivity.
During exercise, there is a surge of neurotransmitters and hormones that positively
impact the brain, improving memory and reaction time. This has been demonstrated repeatedly
in lengthier studies, and the idea here is that these chemicals help to mold the brain and increase
dendritic expansion and interconnections, thus improving memory, attention, and reaction
capabilities. There is no solid evidence stating that it takes time, though, for these chemicals to
manipulate brain structure. In fact, it is very likely that these effects are immediate. Further
studies similar to this one have the potential to prove that acute exercise has a definite positive
effect on brain function, especially in regions involving memory and attention. If solid evidence
is demonstrated, it is very likely that there would be a great change in the academic curriculum in

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school systems. This is the reason why this experiment is so significant, and I would thoroughly
enjoy continuing this type of research.

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References
Castelli, D.M., Hillman, C.H., Buck, S.M., Erwin, H.E. (2007). Physical fitness and academic
achievement in third-and fifth-grade students. Jouirnal of Sport and Exercise Psychology.
29,239-252.
Cressy, J. (2011). The roles of physical activity and health in enhancing student engagement:
implications for leadership in post-secondary education. College Quarterly, 14(4).
Fox, C. K., Barr-Anderson, D., Neumark-Sztainer, D., & Wall, M. (2010). Physical activity and
sports team participation: associations with academic outcomes in middle school and
high school students. Journal Of School Health, 80(1), 31-37.
Gligoroska, J.P. and Manchevska, S. (2012). The effect of physical activity on cognition-
physiological mechanisms. Mat Soc Med. 24(3): 198-202.
Hillman, C., Castelli, D.M., Buck, S.M. Aerobic fitness and neurocognitive function in healthy
preadolescent children. (2005). Official Journal of The American College of Sports
Medicine.
Katch, V.L., McArdle, W.D., Katch F.I. (2001). Essentials of Exercise Physiology. Fourth
Edition. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Knaepen, K., Goekint, M., Heyman, E.M., Meeusen, R. (2010). Neuroplasticity- Exercise-
induced response of peripheral brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Sports Med. 40(9), 765-
801.
Medina, J. (2008). Brain Rules. Seattle: Pear Press.

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Ploughman, M. (2008). Exercise is brain food: The effects of physical activity on cognitive
function. Developmental Neurorehabilitation. 11(3), 236-240.
Ratey, J.J. (2008). Spark. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
Tomporowski, P. D., Davis, C. L., Miller, P. H., & Naglieri, J. A. (2008). Exercise and children’s
intelligence, cognition, and academic achievement. Educational Psychology Review,
20(2), 111-131.