Neuroscientist Ranks The Top Types of Exercise for Brain Health — Dr. Tommy Wood

Open Skill Exercise for Brain Health00:00

Different types of exercise affect the brain differently, requiring a variety of activities for global brain support. Coordinated exercise or open skill exercise, especially with a navigational component, is particularly beneficial. These are sports or activities where you constantly respond to the environment and adapt, unlike closed skill or unimodal exercise like jogging or cycling.

Activities with the same physical challenge but higher cognitive challenge due to open skill nature show greater benefits in brain structure and cognitive function.

Open skill means high level of unanticipated variety and complex motor skills required, some of which can be learned.

Dance as Top Activity01:02

Dancing is an example; you learn the steps.

Dance seems to have the highest effect size for dementia prevention compared to other physical activities, also benefiting mental health like depression.

Dance has multiple components: learning steps, social aspect, music. Open skill sports also include board sports, ball sports, team sports where you react to environment and others. Martial arts are good if avoiding head punches, kicks, or chokes.

Beyond physical strain, these require reaction speed, challenge processing speed, learned complex motor skills, leading to outsized effects on cognitive function.

Intensity-Dependent Benefits of Aerobic Exercise03:00

For aerobic or closed skill unimodal sports like running or cycling, benefits are intensity-dependent. Walking decreases dementia risk if sedentary, but higher intensity improves hippocampal structure and function (measured via MRI).