Gait influences our psyche

Study by the University of Witten: Herdecke proves the connection between gait and psyche

29/10/2014

According to an elaboration by the University of Witten / Herdecke, our way of walking affects whether we are more likely to notice positive or negative things. This is the result of a study recently published in the Journal of Behavioral Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry by Prof. Dr. med. Johannes Michalaks from the University.

"Many studies have shown that exercise in depression is helpful, walking, walking, walking, and we wanted to know if the type of gait has an impact on depression-related processes," Michalak said in the statement. For example, the researchers from older studies know how depressives and non-depressives would go.

Change in physical processes opens up treatment options for depression
According to the new study, the researchers have changed the gait of 39 subjects so that they either run happier or more depressed than they would under normal circumstances. Then the subjects should decide if they describe negative or positive words offered to them. In a subsequent unannounced memory test, which was carried out at short notice, it was then queried whether the test subjects had noticed words that were more positive or negative.

It turned out that the subjects with the depressive gait have noticed more negative words, while the control group noticed with the happy gait more positive words.

"This shows us that our way of moving has an effect on whether we process more positive or negative information, so there is a connection between the body, here the gait and the psyche, here the kind of information we remember Results could be used in the future to develop treatment options for people with depression who are acting through a change in physical processes, "Michalak explains. This medicine would be another method of treatment of depression. Because although the options for treating depression are almost as diverse as the causes of mental suffering, not all sufferers can be helped. In this respect, one can only hope that the researchers of Johannes Michalak succeed in developing an effective method of treatment based on the findings, which increases the number of cases that can be treated. Depression is the main cause of incapacity for work and early retirement in Germany. (Jp)