Our population is leading an increasingly sedentary lifestyle resulting in increased rates of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Reduced physical activity not only leads to loss of physical fitness, but also to reduced cognitive performance on tasks requiring attention and memory. Indeed, students who are more physically active perform better academically, and older adults who are more physically active are at a reduced risk of developing dementia. However the mechanisms underlying these exercise-cognition interactions are still unclear. We have several ongoing projects examining the impact of exercise on cognition in younger university students as well as older community members. Our goal is to understand how exercise changes the brain to improve cognitive outcomes using a variety of neuroimaging and biomarker analyses. This research will help inform how to effectively implement an exercise program for optimizing brain function.

Cognition & Physical Activity

PRESS

McMaster Daily News [READ IT HERE]

"Workouts to remember: new research suggests high-intensity exercise boosts memory"

Nov 22, 2017

 

Spotlight on research findings of study led by Dr. Jennifer J. Heisz

 

The results reveal a potential mechanism for how exercise and cognitive training may be changing the brain to support cognition, suggesting that the two work together through complementary pathways of the brain to improve high-interference memory.

The Silhouette [READ IT HERE]

"Is exercise beneficial during midterm season?"

Oct 6, 2016

 

Expert Opinion by Dr. Jennifer J. Heisz

 

New research argues the time investment will increase your academic performance.

McMaster Daily News [READ IT HERE]

"What if classroom lectures included exercise breaks?"

June 30, 2016

 

Expert Opinion by Dr. Jennifer J. Heisz

 

Heisz, J. J., Ogrodnik, M., & Fenesi, B. (2019). Effects of physical activity on cognition in adults. In M. H. Anshel, S. J. Petruzzello, & E. E. Labbé (Eds.), APA handbooks in psychology series. APA handbook of sport and exercise psychology, Vol. 2. Exercise psychology (pp. 315-330). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.

BOOK CHAPTER

 

Gibala, M., Heisz, J.J., and Nelson, A. (2018). Interval Training for Cardiometabolic and Brain Health. ACSM's Health and Fitness Journal, 22(6), 30-34.

FULL ARTICLE

 

Fenesi, B., Lucibello, K., Kim, J.A., and Heisz, J.J. (2018). Sweat so you don’t forget: Exercise breaks during a University lecture increase on-task attention and learning. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 7(2), 261-269.

FULL ARTICLE

 

Heisz, J.J., Clark, I.B., Bonin, K., Paolucci, E., Michalski, B., Becker, S., Fahnestock, M., (2017). The effects of physical exercise and cognitive training on memory and neurotrophic factors. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 29 (11): 1895-1907.

FULL ARTICLE

 

Heisz, J.J., Vandermorris, S., Wu, J., and McIntosh, A.R. (2015). Age differences in the association of physical activity, sociocognitive engagement, and TV viewing on face memory.

Health Psychology. 34(1): 83-88.

FULL ARTICLE

 

Clark, I.B., and Heisz, J.J. (2014). Synergistic benefits of combined physical exercise and cognitive training on memory. Journal of Exercise, Movement, and Sport. 46(1).

ABSTRACT

 

Heisz, J.J., Vakorin, V., Ross, B., Levine, B., and McIntosh, A.R. (2014). A trade-off between local and distributed information processing associated with remote episodic versus semantic memory. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 26(1):41-53.

FULL ARTICLE

 

Heisz, J.J., Pottruff, M.M., and Shore, D.I. (2013). Females Scan More Than Males: A Potential Mechanism for Sex Differences in Recognition Memory. Psychological Science. 24(7):1157-63

FULL ARTICLE

SELECT PUBLICATIONS

National Geographic

"Face-to-Face"

February 2014

 

Expert Opinion by Dr. Jennifer J. Heisz

 

The article discusses research from kinesiologist Jennifer Heisz of McMaster University in Canada involving the ability of men and women to remember faces, with information on the eye movements of each gender, how the brain memorizes visual information, and memory loss treatment.

NBC News [READ IT HERE]

"Women are better at remembering new faces (and here's how we do it)"

June 6, 2013

Dr. Jennifer J. Heisz  | Associate Professor | Department of Kinesiology | Ivor Wynne Centre, Room E206 | McMaster University | 1280 Main Street West | Hamilton, Ontario L8S4L8

Effects of physical activity on cognition in adults.

 

Heisz, J. J., Ogrodnik, M., & Fenesi, B. (2019). In M. H. Anshel, S. J. Petruzzello, & E. E. Labbé (Eds.), APA handbooks in psychology series. APA handbook of sport and exercise psychology, Vol. 2. Exercise psychology (pp. 315-330). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.

Interval Training for Cardiometabolic and Brain Health.

 

Gibala, M., Heisz, J.J., and Nelson, A. (2018). ACSM's Health and Fitness Journal, 22(6), 30-34.

Sweat so you don’t forget: Exercise breaks during a University lecture increase on-task attention and learning.

 

Fenesi, B., Lucibello, K., Kim, J.A., & Heisz, J.J. (accepted). Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 7(2), 261-269.

The effects of physical exercise and cognitive training on memory and neurotrophic factors.

 

Heisz, J.J., Clark, I.B., Bonin, K., Paolucci, E., Michalski, B., Becker, S., Fahnestock, M. (2017). Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 29 (11): 1895-1907.

Age differences in the association of physical activity, sociocognitive engagement, and TV viewing on face memory.

 

Heisz, J.J., Vandermorris, S., Wu, J., and McIntosh, A.R. (2015). Health Psychology. 34(1): 83-88.

 

Synergistic benefits of combined physical exercise and cognitive training on memory.

 

Clark, I.B., and Heisz, J.J. (2014). Journal of Exercise, Movement, and Sport. 46(1).

A trade-off between local and distributed information processing associated with remote episodic versus semantic memory.

 

Heisz, J.J., Vakorin, V., Ross, B., Levine, B., and McIntosh, A.R. (2014). Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 26(1):41-53.

Females Scan More Than Males: A Potential Mechanism for Sex Differences in Recognition Memory.

 

Heisz, J.J., Pottruff, M.M., and Shore, D.I. (2013). Psychological Science. 24(7):1157-63

 

McMaster Daily News

"Workouts to remember: new research suggests high-intensity exercise boosts memory"

 

Nov 22, 2017

The Silhouette

"Is exercise beneficial during midterm season?"

 

Oct 6, 2016

McMaster Daily News

"What if classroom lectures included exercise breaks?"

 

June 30, 2016

National Geographic

"Face-to-Face"

 

February 2014

NBC News

"Women are better at remembering new faces (and here's how we do it)"

 

June 6, 2013