Acute Effects of Physical Exercise on Cognitive Performance and Neurobiological Markers in Adults: A Scoping Review of 102 Human Studies

Background: Acute physical exercise can influence cognitive performance and neuro-biological processes, but evidence spans diverse modalities, intensities, and adult pop-ulations. Objectives: To map the breadth of acute exercise–cognition research, characterize cog-nitive and biological outcomes, and identify consistent patterns and gaps. Eligibility Criteria: Studies of adults (≥18 years) involving a single exercise session or short microcycle (≤7 days) with pre–post assessment of cognition and/or neurobiological markers across any exercise modality (aerobic, resistance, high-intensity interval train-ing/HIIT, combined, vibration, mind–body) were included. Sources of Evidence: PubMed and CENTRAL were systematically searched, yielding 102 studies. Charting Methods: Data were extracted using a structured framework capturing exercise modality, dose, cognitive domains, biomarkers, neuroimaging outcomes, population characteristics, and study design features. Results: Most studies examined young adults (53%) or older adults (32%). Aerobic exercise predominated (62%), followed by resistance (18%) and combined modalities (12%). Moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise consistently improved executive function, pro-cessing speed, and working memory. Resistance exercise also enhanced executive function in several trials. Neurobiological correlates included increases in Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), lactate, catecholamines, and prefrontal activation, though variability in sampling limited mechanistic conclusions. Conclusions: Acute exercise reliably enhances executive function and processing speed across modalities. Standardized exercise protocols, biomarker timing, and cognitive as-sessments are needed to strengthen mechanistic synthesis.