A systematic review examined 23 preclinical studies involving rodent models of intracerebral hemorrhage. Researchers looked at how different exercise types, such as treadmill training, swimming, and skilled reaching tasks, affected the brain after injury. The studies focused on mechanistic outcomes like neuroinflammation, oxidative injury, and plasticity rather than human patients.
The analysis found that exercise interventions were associated with improvements in sensorimotor function. Additionally, the studies reported reductions in neuroinflammation and oxidative damage, alongside enhancements in neurotrophin-related plasticity and epigenetic regulation. These changes suggest that physical activity may support the brain's natural repair processes.
However, the evidence comes entirely from animal models, and there was large variation in how exercise was performed across the studies. The optimal type, dose, and timing of exercise remain unclear. While these findings provide a reference for future research and clinical translation, they do not yet prove that exercise works for humans with brain bleeding.