Depression Sports works like antidepressants

Depression: Sports and physical activities can help

09/17/2014

Swiss and German scientists have confirmed a long-held assumption in a large review study: Sports and physical activity can relieve depression. In addition, the researchers come to the conclusion that movement in the brain works in a similar way as antidepressants.

Researchers confirm long-held assumption
At least one in ten people in the western industrial nations suffers from depression at least once during their lifetime. This is accompanied by numerous mental and physical complaints, such as depression, listlessness, sexual inactivity or sleep disorders. The treatment of depression is traditionally medications (antidepressants) and psychotherapy. But also sports and physical activities can relieve depression. This long-cherished assumption has now been confirmed by researchers from Switzerland and Germany in a large overview study.

All available studies summarized
As the University of Bern announced on Tuesday, the team led by Mirko Wegner from the Institute of Sports Science at the University of Bern summarized all available overview studies on the effect of sports on anxiety disorders and depression. According to a report by the Swiss news agency SDA, these altogether 37 meta-analyzes included data from more than 40,000 persons each with these disorders. All of these studies measured "the strength of the antidepressant or anxiolytic effect". Wegner and his colleagues from the MSH Medical School Hamburg came to the conclusion that sport and physical activity have a positive effect on depression and act in a similar way as antidepressants, as they now in the journal „CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets“ to report.

Sport stimulates growth of nerve cells
Through antidepressants, the concentration of the as well „happiness hormone“ Brain messenger serotonin increased in the brain. This controls, among other mood, feeling, sleep and appetite. In addition, antidepressants promote the regeneration of nerve cells in the hippocampus, a region in the „feeling center“ of the brain, the limbic system. However, as the researchers explained, depression led to the death of cells in this brain region. Thus, "sports and physical activity are similar to the drugs, these also increase blood serotonin levels and stimulate nerve cell growth in the limbic system.".

Use in anxiety disorders only low
„Unfortunately, the meta-analyzes do not allow conclusions as to how often and how long a sport should be conducted on a weekly basis“, study leader Wegner said in a statement. „But one can see that exercise and physical activity mitigate depression.“ However, while the effect on depression was medium, the benefits of sport in anxiety disorders were low. Because sport is inexpensive and has few side effects, the researchers see it as a good complement to other therapies. They emphasized, however, that it was still necessary to investigate whether and, above all, to what extent exercise could supplement or even replace medications in mild depression.

Sports program for patients with depression
A few years ago, Professor Dr. Marc Ziegenbein, Deputy Director of the MHH Clinic for Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy notified. At that time, a new sports program for patients with depression was presented by psychiatrists and sports scientists at the MHH (Hannover Medical School). Designed specifically for people with depression, this training program is essentially based on moderate endurance training, which includes walking, light-weight running, and playful exercises. (Ad)