Improved cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with functional changes in hippocampus during episodic memory pattern completion

Background

Aerobic exercise that improves cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) may induce hippocampal changes that help counteract age-related memory decline. The Umeå HIT Study, a randomized controlled trial, examined three months of controlled high-intensity interval training (HIT) and moderate-intensity training (MIT) in older adults. Here, we tested whether increases in CRF (VO₂peak), regardless of training modality, predicted changes in episodic-memory pattern completion and hippocampal structure and function (CA4/DG, CA2/3, CA1).