Unlike weight training, aerobic exercise does not preserve cognitive abilities, especially short-term memory.
After analyzing 29 clinical trials with 2,000 participants, U.S. researchers report that aerobic exercise has a modest effect on cognitive abilities. There is a slight improvement in attention span, executing tasks, speed of processing information and memory in general, but no effect on short term memory.
This point of view holds that weight training shows the most positive effects, in addition to improving attention span.
People who engage in weight training and aerobic exercises are those who benefit from a greater clinical improvement.
The ideal exercise plan would be to combine the two. Aerobic exercise benefits cardiovascular health which bodybuilding does not.