Understanding how exercise helps your brain over time
Official title: Examining the Persistence of Neurocognitive Benefits of Exercise
Funded at Adventhealth Orlando · NIH-11110401 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at whether the brain benefits from exercise can last for many years in older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Adventhealth Orlando NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Orlando, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $2,284,063 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG083156-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11110401 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults, aged 65-80, who are cognitively normal and may have participated in the previous IGNITE exercise program.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not older adults or who already have significant cognitive impairment may not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
This project builds on a successful previous effort called IGNITE, which involved 648 cognitively normal adults aged 65-80 who participated in a year-long aerobic exercise program. We want to find out if the positive effects on memory and brain health from that exercise program continue for up to five years after it ended. We are also interested in understanding the biological changes in the brain that might explain these long-lasting effects. This helps us learn more about how exercise can protect the brain as we age.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could show that exercise has lasting protective effects on the brain, guiding recommendations for long-term brain health in older adults.
How similar studies have gone: The previous IGNITE randomized clinical trial, which this project follows, was highly successful in terms of participation and adherence, suggesting a strong foundation for this follow-up.
Where this research is happening
-
Adventhealth Orlando
Orlando, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Erickson, Kirk I — Adventhealth Orlando
- Study coordinator: Erickson, Kirk I
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.