About this Research Topic

Background

Physical activity: a promising modifiable behavior to protect brain, cognition, and mental health across the lifespan

Levels of physical activity are alarmingly low around the world. This is an ominous trend as numerous studies support the importance of engaging in physical activity for improving and/or maintaining a good health status across the lifespan. An emerging field of research also highlights the positive effect of physical activity on brain health, in particular for the promotion of cognitive functioning across the lifespan and the prevention of mental disorders in later life. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), brain health can be defined as the state of brain functioning across cognitive, sensory, social-emotional, behavioral, and motor domains, allowing a person to realize their full potential over the life course, irrespective of the presence or absence of disorders. Therefore, the concept of “brain health” includes not only measurements of biological markers of the brain (e.g., structural brain morphology) but also psychological ill-being (e.g., depressive symptoms), and well-being (e.g., self-esteem) indicators, perceptions of quality of life, and cognitive function (e.g., attention and memory).

Despite the highly convincing benefits of physical activity on brain health, there remain several key gaps in the understanding of how physical activity works that limit its widespread adoption for promoting and preserving brain health. First, studies have largely focused on the effects of physical activity in the hippocampus, but more research is needed to understand the effects of physical activity on other important brain areas such as the prefrontal cortex, and on functional connectivity between brain regions (e.g., the hippocampal or cerebellar connections with the prefrontal cortex). Second, although numerous physical activity interventions have reported positive effects on brain health in older populations, questions about which type and dose of exercise, which populations benefit most from it, or when in life physical activity-induced brain changes occur in the brain still remain unclear. Third, there has been little discussion about the specific mechanisms for how physical activity induces any change in brain health.

This Research Topic aims to discuss: (i) the potential effect of physical activity on brain health (i.e., brain structure and function, cognition, and mental health) across the lifespan and different populations (e.g., cognitively healthy vs. unhealthy adults, youth exposed to early life adversities, minority ethnic groups); (ii) the dose-response parameters necessary to optimize physical activity effects on brain health; and (iii) the mechanisms through which physical activity might have a positive effect on brain health across the lifespan.

We welcome original research and state-of-the-art reviews as well as other article types addressing, but not limited to, the following research:
• Physical activity and brain biomarkers (e.g., PET amyloid) using cutting-edge MRI and PET imaging;
• physical activity and blood biomarkers associated with brain health (e.g., proteomics analyses);
• physical activity and neuroelectric measurements (e.g., electroencephalography);
• physical activity and behavioral variables (e.g., cognitive and mental health variables);
• potential mediators (e.g., neurobiological, psychosocial, and behavioral mechanisms) and moderators (e.g., gender, ethnicity, and health status) of physical activity on brain health.

Information for authors: Please be aware that this research topic is cross-listed with multiple journals and sections. When submitting your manuscripts, please ensure that they fall within the scope of the journal and sections to which you are submitting. Should your manuscript fall outside the defined scope of the chosen section or journal, our team will promptly contact you to make the transfer to the corresponding journal /section

Keywords: exercise, MRI, brain health, psychiatric symptoms, brain, cognition, psychological well-being.

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

Frequently asked questions

• What is a Research Topic?

  Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

  Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

• Why does Frontiers publish Research Topics? 

  The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

  Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

• Why are Research Topics important for journals?

  As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

  A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

• How do we ensure the quality of articles within Research Topics?

  Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and they fall under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

    In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

• What are the benefits of publishing my article in a Research Topic?

  Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

  As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

  Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

   
• What types of articles can be published in a Research Topic?

  Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

  Check available article types here 

• Can I suggest a new Research Topic? 

  Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

  Suggest your topic here 

• Who leads a Research Topic? 

  A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

  The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

• What is the role of a topic editor?

  As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

   

  You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

• What support will I receive when editing a new Research Topic? 

  As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

• As a junior researcher, can I be involved in editing a Research Topic? 

  If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

• Can I get a certificate for editing a Research Topic?

  Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

• Who will I collaborate with?

  Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

• How long does it take to publish a Research Topic?

  As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

  Find out more about our Research Topics

• What fee support is available to authors publishing in a Research Topic?

  Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

  Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

• Will there be a printed version of my RT?

  In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.