Ryuta Kuwamizu (Research Group A01) and Tetsuto Minami (Publicly Offered Research Group D01) have co-authored a book chapter in "The Handbook of Physical Activity and Cognitive Neuroscience", published by Routledge. The chapter is titled "Pupillometry in Exercise-Cognition Research." This chapter introduces pupillometry as an accessible tool for uncovering the neural mechanisms linking physical exercise and cognitive function.  We hope you will enjoy reading it.

Paper Information：

Authors： Ryuta Kuwamizu, Nikola Grujic, Tetsuto Minami

Title： Pupillometry in Exercise-Cognition Research

About the Book： Zou, L., Ji, L., Herold, F., & Chen, A. (Eds.). (2026). The Handbook of Physical Activity and Cognitive Neuroscience (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003625179

Abstract: 

 This chapter introduces pupillometry—the measurement of pupil size—as a powerful, accessible tool for elucidating the neural mechanisms connecting physical exercise and cognition. While the benefits of exercise for brain health are well-established, a major challenge to the real-time measurement of such benefits has been the lack of methods that are non-invasive, field-deployable, and capable of monitoring the arousal state originating from deep brain regions with relatively high temporal resolution. To this end, pupillometry, a widely recognized approach, has emerged as a solution. While commonly known for its reflexive response to light, the pupil is also highly sensitive to emotional arousal, attention, and cognitive load. In recent years, advances in neuroscience have clarified the relationship between the pupil and key neuromodulatory hubs, most notably the locus coeruleus (the brain’s primary source of noradrenaline), renewing interest in pupillometry as a robust marker of the brain states. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview, covering the neural mechanisms of pupillary control, the dual applications of ‘exercise’ and ‘cognitive’ pupillometry, practical methods for implementation, and prospects for pupillometry in exercise-cognition research.