Benefits from aerobic exercise in patients with major depression: a pilot study

F Dimeo¹, M Bauer², I Varahram¹, G Proest², U Halter²

¹ Department of Sports Medicine, Freie Universitaet, Berlin, Germany
² Department of Psychiatry

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to: Dr Dimeo, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Benjamin Franklin Medical Center, Department of Sports Medicine, Clayallee 229, 14195 Berlin, Germany ferdimeo{at}zedat.fu-berlin.de

Background—Several reports indicate that physical activity can reduce the severity of symptoms in depressed patients. Some data suggest that even a single exercise bout may result in a substantial mood improvement.

Objective—To evaluate the short term effects of a training programme on patients with moderate to severe major depression.

Methods—Twelve patients (mean (SD) age 49 (10) years; five men, seven women) with a major depressive episode according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Society of Psychiatry (DSM IV) criteria participated. The mean (SD) duration of the depressive episode was 35 (21) weeks (range 12–96). Training consisted of walking on a treadmill following an interval training pattern and was carried out for 30 minutes a day for 10 days.

Results—At the end of the training programme, there was a clinically relevant and statistically significant reduction in depression scores (Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression: before, 19.5 (3.3); after, 13 (5.5); p = 0.002. Self assessed intensity of symptoms: before, 23.2 (7); after, 17.7 (8.1); p = 0.006. Values are mean (SD)). Subjective and objective changes in depression scores correlated strongly (r = 0.66, p = 0.01).

Conclusions—Aerobic exercise can produce substantial improvement in mood in patients with major depressive disorders in a short time.

Key Words: affective disorders; depression; major depression; refractory depression; exercise

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Knapen, J, Sommerijns, E, Vancampfort, D, Sienaert, P, Pieters, G, Haake, P, Probst, M, Peuskens, J (2009). State anxiety and subjective well-being responses to acute bouts of aerobic exercise in patients with depressive and anxiety disorders. Br. J. Sports. Med. 43: 756-759 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Dunn, A. L., Weintraub, P. (2008). Exercise in the Prevention and Treatment of Adolescent Depression: A Promising but Little Researched Intervention. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF LIFESTYLE MEDICINE 2: 507-518 [Abstract]  
• Mccormick, B. P., Frey, G., Lee, C.-T., Chun, S., Sibthorp, J., Gajic, T., Stamatovic-Gajic, B., Maksimovich, M. (2008). Predicting Transitory Mood From Physical Activity Level Among People With Severe Mental Illness in Two Cultures. Int J Soc Psychiatry 54: 527-538 [Abstract]  
• Knubben, K, Reischies, F M, Adli, M, Schlattmann, P, Bauer, M, Dimeo, F, Ansley, L (2007). A randomised, controlled study on the effects of a short-term endurance training programme in patients with major depression * Commentary. Br. J. Sports. Med. 41: 29-33 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Trivedi, M. H, Greer, T. L, Grannemann, B. D, Church, T. S, Galper, D. I, Sunderajan, P., Wisniewski, S. R, Chambliss, H. O, Jordan, A. N, Finley, C., Carmody, T. J (2006). TREAD: TReatment with Exercise Augmentation for Depression: study rationale and design. Clin Trials 3: 291-305 [Abstract]  
• Nies, M. A., Motyka, C. L. (2006). Factors Contributing to Women's Ability to Maintain a Walking Program. J Holist Nurs 24: 7-14 [Abstract]  
• Droste, S. K., Gesing, A., Ulbricht, S., Muller, M. B., Linthorst, A. C. E., Reul, J. M. H. M. (2003). Effects of Long-Term Voluntary Exercise on the Mouse Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenocortical Axis. Endocrinology 144: 3012-3023 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Zunkel, G. M. (2003). Depressive Disorders: Treatment with Nonpharmacological Alternatives. Complementary Health Practice Review 8: 116-127 [Abstract]