A number of studies have suggested exercise can boost cognitive function, but the underlying mechanisms of this association have been unclear. Now, new research sheds light on how running can improve learning and memory.
[A person running across a dirt track]
Researchers suggest running increases levels of a protein that boosts memory recall.

In a mouse study published in the journal Cell Metabolism, investigators found running increased levels of a protein called cathepsin B, which spurred brain cell growth, improving the memory recall of mice following a location task.

Encoded by the CTSB gene, cathepsin B is perhaps most well known for its role in cancer progression; the protein is secreted by tumors and is believed to fuel cancer metastasis.

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