To understand what drives changes in physical activity after cardiovascular diagnosis, scientists performed machine learning analyses on data from 295 adults over 60 years included in the UK Biobank who had been diagnosed with diseases of the heart and blood vessels. These data included brain scans and answers to health surveys and social background questionnaires.

The researchers found that people who increased their physical activity levels long-term after diagnosis tended to have greater access to greenspace and social support than those who got less exercise, factors that make it easier to sustain healthy habits. At a neurological level, the researchers found people with increased brain connectivity between the right superior frontal gyrus and both the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the precuneus showed greater physical activity.