Strength and balance training induce beneficial neural plasticity in elderly adults by counteracting aging-related demyelination in the corpus callosum, with strength training additionally facilitating white matter reorganization in key transmission fiber pathways.
Key Findings
Results
Strength training was associated with changes in diffusion metrics consistent with white matter microstructural remodeling in bilateral inferior fronto-occipital and longitudinal fasciculi.
Specifically, strength training was associated with increased extra-axonal axial diffusivity in these tracts
The bilateral inferior fronto-occipital fasciculi and longitudinal fasciculi are described as 'key transmission fiber pathways'
White matter tract integrity (WMTI) modelling was used to explore the microstructural underpinnings of these white matter alterations
This effect was specific to the strength training group and was not observed in the balance training or control groups
Results
Both balance and strength training mitigated reductions in axonal water fraction in the splenium of the corpus callosum observed in the passive control group.
The control group showed reductions in axonal water fraction in the splenium of the corpus callosum over the three-month study period
Both the balance training and strength training groups did not show these reductions, suggesting a protective effect
Axonal water fraction is a microstructural metric associated with myelination status
This finding is interpreted as counteracting 'aging-related demyelination in the corpus callosum'
Results
Both balance and strength training mitigated reductions in axonal water fraction in the right posterior corona radiata observed in the passive control group.
The control group showed reductions in axonal water fraction in the right posterior corona radiata over the three-month study period
Both training interventions protected against this reduction, similar to the effect seen in the corpus callosum
This protective effect was observed across both types of motor training
WMTI modelling was the method used to detect these microstructural changes
Results
The study detected no significant grey matter changes associated with either strength or balance training in elderly adults over three months.
Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to assess grey matter plasticity
The abstract does not report any significant VBM findings, with reported results focused exclusively on white matter metrics
The study duration was three months of training
The absence of grey matter findings contrasts with the white matter changes detected via diffusion-based methods
Methods
This randomized controlled study enrolled 60 elderly adults aged 64–82 years to compare strength training, balance training, and passive control conditions over three months.
Participant age range was 64–82 years with a mean of 70.6 ± 4.7 years
The study used a randomized controlled design with three groups: strength training, balance training, and passive control
Training duration was three months for both active intervention groups
Multi-modal neuroimaging was employed, including VBM for grey matter and TBSS for white matter assessment
WMTI modelling was additionally used to explore microstructural underpinnings of white matter alterations
What This Means
This research suggests that physical exercise — specifically strength training and balance training — can help protect the aging brain's white matter from deterioration. In a three-month randomized controlled study of 60 older adults (ages 64–82), both strength and balance training appeared to prevent a loss of myelin (the protective coating around nerve fibers) in key brain regions, including the corpus callosum (a major bundle connecting the two brain hemispheres) and the posterior corona radiata, that was observed in people who did not exercise. Myelin loss is a normal part of brain aging and is associated with slower neural communication, so these findings suggest exercise may help slow this process.
Strength training also showed an additional effect not seen with balance training: changes in the microstructure of long-range fiber pathways (the inferior fronto-occipital and longitudinal fasciculi) that are interpreted as signs of white matter reorganization. This suggests that different types of exercise may engage different aspects of brain plasticity, with strength training having a particularly broad impact on white matter structure.
This research matters because it provides neuroimaging evidence that structured physical training programs can produce measurable, beneficial changes in the aging brain's white matter in as little as three months. While no changes were detected in grey matter volume, the white matter findings highlight the potential of exercise — particularly strength training — to counteract age-related brain changes. These results contribute to a growing body of evidence supporting the role of physical activity in maintaining brain health in older adults.
Liu X, Egger S, Scherrer S, Pavan T, Marques J, Jelescu I, et al.. (2026). Effects of strength and balance training on the structure of the aging brain.. NeuroImage. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.122188