from the conclusion

In summary, 12 weeks of aerobic exercise did not significantly alter resting-state BDNF concentrations or cognitive performance; however, the intervention did enhance the production of sBDNF in response to acute maximal exercise following improvements in cardiopulmonary fitness. This increase in exercise-induced sBDNF, as well as circulating pBDNF levels, were associated with changes in prefrontal cortex activity during executive function tasks. These results suggest a potential role for BDNF in modulating brain function in response to improvements in physical fitness. Future research could consider investigating BDNF’s broader role in bioenergetics and how these might support neural function beyond neurogenesis, in the context of physical activity.