As a scientist who studies the effects of exercise on the brain, I am always thinking about what exercise-induced factors (from muscles, bones, organs, brain tissue, etc.) cause the beneficial effects on brain function, like improvements in mood and cognition. Recently I started thinking about it another way. What if we flip this idea on its head and ask, what factors does exercise clear from the body and brain to produce health benefits? Brain inflammation or neuroinflammati

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of cases, and is characterized by problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. AD is progressive; symptoms worsen over time, with individuals eventually losing the ability to carry on tasks of daily living. AD results from changes in the brain including increases in plaques and tangles. Plaques are caused from abnormal accumulation of the protein beta amyloid in the extracellular spaces of th