Published in journal Psychophysiology, researchers from University of Newcastle found that high intensity-interval training (HIIT) induced brain changes that point to improved functioning after six months of training.

For their study, the recruited 56 older adolescents in Australia, where they were randomly assigned to either a Burn 2 Learn intervention, where participants completed at least two HIIT sessions of aerobic and bodyweight exercises per week for 16 weeks, or a control group.

Participants underwent brain scans and MRI spectroscopy before and after the 16-week session.

They found that participants who underwent the Burn 2 Learn intervention had increased left hippocampal concentrations of glutamate+glutamine (Glx) and N-acetylaspartate (NAA), signaling increased brain metabolism, thus activity. Additionally, these changes were associated with improved cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness, and working memory.

One, you should be doing daily exercise. Two, good parenting is making your kids get involved with daily exercise.

SR Valkenbroghs et al. Effect of high-intensity interval training on hippocampal metabolism in older adolescents. Psychophysiology. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.14090