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Late-life depression (LLD) is often caused or exacerbated by cerebrovascular pathology; whereas exercise has well-documented effects on improving cerebrovascular function, including cerebral blood flow (CBF). We propose that exercise may alleviate depressive symptoms and reduce LLD by enhancing CBF. However, this mechanistic pathway has not been directly tested. Future research should evaluate this model to develop targeted interventions for LLD. Summary: Exercise-induced changes in cerebral blood flow may mediate the association between exercise and depression in older adults.
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Harrison et al. (2026) studied this question.
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