The newly discovered glymphatic system: the missing link between physical-exercise and brain health?

This review discusses the newly discovered glymphatic system, which clears waste from the brain and helps maintain cognitive health. physical-exercise appears to enhance the system's function by boosting the clearance of harmful proteins like amyloid-beta, implicated in Alzheimer’s disease. Exercise also increases the expression of AQP4, a protein critical for the glymphatic system's operation. Combined with sleep, which also supports glymphatic activity, exercise contributes to improved memory, reduced neuroinflammation, and overall brain resilience. These findings suggest exercise as a non-drug strategy to prevent cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases.

Engage in moderate aerobic exercise, like brisk walking or jogging, for at least 150 minutes weekly. Combining regular exercise with healthy sleep habits enhances the brain's glymphatic system, clearing waste and promoting cognitive health. This evidence is robust but includes animal models, so applying findings to humans requires caution. Nevertheless, exercise remains a practical, low-risk way to support brain function.