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Advances in Molecular Research on Physical Activity, Sleep and Cognitive...
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Advances in Molecular Research on Physical Activity, Sleep and Cognitive Function

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular and Translational Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2025) | Viewed by 4068

Editor

Dr. Yanwei You

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Sports Science & Physical Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Interests: physical activity; exercise; mental health; cognitive function; depression; sleep
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, “Advances in Molecular Research on Physical Activity, Sleep and Cognitive Function”, will focus on our emerging understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the interplay between physical activity, sleep, and cognitive function.

Physical activity and sleep are essential lifestyle factors that significantly influence brain health and cognitive performance. While their behavioral and physiological effects have been widely studied, the molecular pathways mediating these effects remain an area of growing interest. Recent advances suggest that physical activity and sleep modulate a range of molecular processes—such as neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, synaptic plasticity, hormonal signaling, and mitochondrial function—which in turn impact cognitive outcomes across a person’s lifespan.

This Special Issue aims to highlight cutting-edge molecular research that elucidates how physical activity and sleep influence cognitive function. We welcome original research articles and comprehensive reviews that explore topics such as gene expression, proteomics, metabolomics, telomere biology, epigenetic regulation, and biomarkers related to neuroplasticity and neurodegeneration.

We cordially invite researchers from the fields of neuroscience, physiology, molecular biology, and related disciplines to contribute their findings to this rapidly evolving and interdisciplinary field.

Dr. Yanwei You
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomedicines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • physical activity
  • sleep
  • cognitive function
  • molecular mechanisms
  • neuroplasticity
  • oxidative stress
  • inflammation
  • biomarkers

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 1068 KB  
Article
Emotional Blunting in Hong Kong Patients with Major Depressive Disorder Treated with Vortioxetine: A Naturalistic Observational Study
by Yanni Ip Chi Kwan, C. S. Fung, Sharon K. W. Lee, Vivian W. Y. Lui and Calvin P. W. Cheng
Biomedicines 2026, 14(2), 270; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14020270 - 26 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1835
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) affects over 280 million people worldwide and is a leading cause of disability. Emotional blunting—characterized by a numbing or flattening of emotions—is a significant yet often underrecognized symptom that impairs daily functioning and interpersonal relationships in patients [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) affects over 280 million people worldwide and is a leading cause of disability. Emotional blunting—characterized by a numbing or flattening of emotions—is a significant yet often underrecognized symptom that impairs daily functioning and interpersonal relationships in patients with MDD. It remains unclear whether emotional blunting results primarily from the disorder itself or from antidepressant treatments, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Vortioxetine, a multimodal antidepressant approved for MDD, may help alleviate emotional blunting by modulating neurotransmitters differently than SSRIs. This study investigates the severity of emotional blunting among Hong Kong MDD patients and explores the changes in this symptom with the use of vortioxetine, while also considering anhedonia as a related dimension of reward processing. Methods: This naturalistic, longitudinal observational study in Hong Kong enrolled adults (aged 18 and above) clinically diagnosed with MDD who were initiating vortioxetine treatment for emotional blunting. Patient inclusion was based on independent prescribing decisions by psychiatrists, with informed consent obtained. Data collection comprised one intake interview and the administration of four self-report questionnaires—ODQ, PHQ-9, PDQ-D, SDS, MFI, and SHAPS—at baseline, week 1, week 4, and week 8. Demographic and clinical history data were also recorded. Questionnaires were completed online or via phone, over a study duration of approximately two months. Results: The prevalence of emotional blunting, estimated by the proportion of patients with an ODQ score at or above the clinical cut-off (≥50), was 91.9% at baseline, decreasing to 85.5% at week 1, 77.7% at week 4, and 73.3% at week 8. Significant improvements were also observed in depressive symptoms, cognitive dysfunction, functional impairment, pleasure experience, and fatigue. Conclusions: In this naturalistic observational cohort of patients with MDD who were prescribed vortioxetine, self-reported emotional blunting, depressive symptoms, cognitive dysfunction, functional impairment, and fatigue decreased over eight weeks. Anhedonia scores (SHAPS) decreased to non-significant levels, and clinician-rated Clinical Global Impression scores confirmed a significant reduction in illness severity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Molecular Research on Physical Activity, Sleep and Cognitive Function)
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Review

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21 pages, 1102 KB  
Review
The Lactate Nexus: A Molecular Bridge Linking Physical Activity, Sleep, and Cognitive Enhancement
by Alimjan Ablitip, Kefeng Zheng, Hao Ding, Yicong Cui, Xindong Ma and Yanwei You
Biomedicines 2026, 14(1), 253; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14010253 - 22 Jan 2026
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1837
Abstract
Physical activity (PA) and quality sleep are essential for cognitive health, providing synergistic protection against age-related cognitive decline. However, the shared molecular pathways that explain their combined and interactive benefits remain poorly understood. This review suggests that lactate, long dismissed as a metabolic [...] Read more.
Physical activity (PA) and quality sleep are essential for cognitive health, providing synergistic protection against age-related cognitive decline. However, the shared molecular pathways that explain their combined and interactive benefits remain poorly understood. This review suggests that lactate, long dismissed as a metabolic waste product, is a unifying mechanism. We introduce the “Lactate Nexus”, a conceptual framework that proposes lactate functions as a key signalling molecule, mechanistically linking the pro-cognitive effects of both daytime exercise and nighttime sleep. We begin by outlining lactate’s evolving role—from an energy substrate shuttled from astrocytes to neurons (the Astrocyte–Neuron Lactate Shuttle) to a pleiotropic signal. As a signal, lactate influences neuroplasticity via NMDA receptors, neuroinflammation via the HCAR1 receptor, and gene expression through the epigenetic modification of histone lactylation. We then compile evidence demonstrating how PA provides a substantial lactate signal that activates these pathways and primes the brain’s metabolic infrastructure. Crucially, we integrate this with proof that lactate levels naturally increase during slow-wave sleep to support memory consolidation and glymphatic clearance. The “Lactate Nexus” framework offers a comprehensive molecular explanation for the synergy between PA and sleep, positioning lactate as a key signalling mediator and a promising biomarker and therapeutic target for fostering lifelong cognitive resilience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Molecular Research on Physical Activity, Sleep and Cognitive Function)
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