A day in the life of… Professor Kirk Erickson

Kirk Erickson is a neuroscientist and former professor at the University of Pittsburgh where his acclaimed research focused on the relationship between physical exercise and brain health.

​Kirk’s research​, which includes studies demonstrating that aerobic exercise can increase the size of the hippocampus and improve memory​, has had a profound impact on both the​ public understanding of how lifestyle choices impact brain health. In one of Kirk’s most cited studies, Exercise Training Increases the Size of the Hippocampus, a randomised controlled trial of 120 adults demonstrated that aerobic exercise over 12 months increased hippocampal volume by 2%. This effectively reversed one to two years of age-related cognitive decline. This was a landmark finding, given that hippocampal shrinkage is one of the main factors associated with memory impairment and cognitive decline in later life.

Today, as Director of Translational Neuroscience at the AdventHealth Research Institute,​ Kirk Erickson continues to turn scientific insight into meaningful interventions that can help people ​stay sharp, feel good and help reduce the risk of cognitive decline in later life.

We spoke with Kirk who kindly shared with us what his typical day looks like and his top three tips on how to support brain health as we get older.

How does your day typically begin?

I am a ‘morning person’ in that I wake up with a lot of energy. I don’t drink coffee, but I do drink tea. After feeding my cat I then head to my ‘home gym’ for about 1.5 hours of strength and aerobic activity, where I start by riding my stationary bike. Here, I also keep my mind active by either reading my kindle (which I’ve learned how to do!) or watching a show or movie.

Do you have any daily routines, specifically any that help to support your brain health?

My morning routine is important as often within my job I get pulled in multiple directions. This means that I’m either working late, or by the end of the day I have minimal energy to exercise, which is why my exercise routine in the morning is so important to me. It helps clear my mind and set me up for the day.

As a neuroscientist specialising in exercise, what other types of exercise do you do?

I make sure I walk every day, and I walk a lot. I often go for long walks with my wife which allows us dedicated time to connect with each other after busy days in which we are often going in separate directions.

Do you have three tips which we can all learn from, in how to support our brain health as we get older?

The first would be exercise. Exercise is an incredibly important factor for maintaining and enhancing brain health while mitigating risks for psychological and neural problems.

The second would be to keep engaged in activities that allow you to lower stress. Do things you enjoy. That might mean doing activities by yourself, with others or a combination. It might mean exercise, it might mean cooking, it might mean reading, it might mean working on another hobby, but make sure that you dedicate time for self-preservation.

Lastly, I would say to eat heart healthy foods, as they have been linked to better brain health and a reduced risk of cognitive decline in later life. The brain is a very demanding organ, using approximately 20% of your total body’s energy, so keeping a healthy diet not only fuels the body for exercise, but also the brain.

For more information on exercise visit Brain Health Network’s exercise pillar at www.brain.health.

Kirk will be speaking at the International Society for Exercise Neuroscience conference taking place at UCL from 17-19 July 2026. The conference will address research in brain-body interactions that support human brain health through lifestyle-based interventions. For more information or to attend visit the inaugural meeting on boosting brain health here.