On these grounds, we aimed to investigate the EE‐induced plasticity of functional connectivity between hippocampus and peri‐hippocampal cortical regions through the combination of fMRI and PET imaging following stroke, with a particular emphasis on the astrocyte‐neuron metabolic interactions, including the gap junction protein Cx43, glucose transporters and monocarboxylate transporters in the hippocampus and cortical regions, all of which may gain new understanding of the mechanisms by which this EE paradigm promotes post‐stroke cognitive recovery. The gene discussed is GJA1; the disease is stroke disorder.