Regular exercise may help mitigate the long-term effects of traumatic childhood experiences on the brain. Researchers at the Central Institute of Mental Health show that physical activity is associated with more favorable connectivity in stress-related brain regions. The findings of the study, published in “Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging”, provide new evidence that the neurobiological consequences of early-life stress remain malleable and that factors such as physical activity may be associated with greater psychological resilience.

A New Perspective on the Consequences of Early-Life Stress

Traumatic childhood experiences can affect brain development and increase the risk of mental illness. However, new research shows that these changes might be not permanent and depend on physical activity behaviors.

A recent study published in the journal “Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging” suggests that the brain remains adaptable and that physical activity can play an important role in this process.

Exercise strengthens neural connections in the brain

Researchers at the Central Institute for Mental Health (CIMH) in Mannheim studied 75 adults who had experienced traumatic events during their childhood. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), they analyzed the interaction of key brain regions involved in processing stress and emotions, including the amygdala, hippocampus, and anterior cingulate cortex.

The result: Across these brain regions, adversity was linked to lower connectivity at low exercise levels, but increased connectivity at higher levels, showing a crossover pattern. The results suggest that the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and the functional connectivity of certain brain regions varies depending on the level of physical activity.

No “fixed” trauma in the brain

“We wanted to challenge the notion that traumatic experiences leave a lasting mark on the brain,” explains Prof. Dr. Christian Schmahl, Medical Director of the Department of Psychosomatic and Psychotherapeutic Medicine at the CIMH. The findings suggest that while early-life stressors can increase risks, they do not necessarily determine the course of one’s life.

How much exercise is recommended?

The positive effects were particularly pronounced at a level of physical activity consistent with the World Health Organization’s recommendations: approximately 150 to 300 minutes of physical activity per week. Indicating there may be a “sweet spot” of activity engagement where neural configurations supporting stress adaptation are most likely to emerge.

New Insights into Brain Research

The study also provides evidence that brain regions such as the cerebellum — previously associated primarily with movement — play an important role in emotional and stress-related processes.

“We had assumed that exercise tends to mitigate the effects of stress on the brain. What was surprising, however, was how clearly the relationship changed depending on the level of physical activity, and that brain regions previously associated primarily with physical activity were also involved. These include the cerebellum, which apparently also plays an important role in processing emotions and stress,” says Prof. Dr. Gabriele Ende, head of the ZIPP Core Facility at the CIMH.

Implications for prevention and treatment

Given the growing global burden of traumatic experiences, such as those caused by war or displacement, easily accessible and effective approaches to promoting mental health are particularly important.

Physical activity is considered a promising approach in this regard. It is an integral part of daily life, cost-effective, and can be specifically integrated into prevention and treatment.

Next research steps will examine how these findings can be translated into patient-centered practice. Collaboration between the Department of Nursing Science I at University Hospital Tübingen and Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim for the implementation of a targeted intervention is underway.

The effects on the brain can be altered, physical activity can be a regulator

The results suggest that physical activity may be associated with better stress management and mental resilience. Lead author Lemye Zehirlioglu, Researcher at the CIMH, emphasizes: “Traumatic childhood experiences can increase the risk of mental illness, but they do not have to determine the course of one’s life. Our findings show that regular exercise can influence how these experiences are reflected in the brain and that resilience can be strengthened over the course of a lifetime.”

Publication: 

Zehirlioglu L., Nkrumah R., Demirakca T., Ende G. & Schmahl C., Lifetime
Physical Activity Moderates the Neural Effects of Childhood Adversity on Resting State Functional
Connectivity, Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (2026), doi: https://
doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2026.01.006.