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  "path": "/news/2026-02-scientists-mechanism-brain.html",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-18T16:40:03.000Z",
  "site": "https://medicalxpress.com",
  "tags": [
    "Alzheimer's disease & dementia"
  ],
  "textContent": "Researchers at UC San Francisco have discovered a mechanism that could explain how exercise improves cognition by shoring up the brain's protective barrier. With age, the network of blood vessels—called the blood–brain barrier—gets leaky, letting harmful compounds enter the brain. This causes inflammation, which is associated with cognitive decline and is seen in conditions like Alzheimer's disease. The research is published in the journal Cell.",
  "title": "Scientists find a mechanism showing how exercise protects the brain"
}