Exercise for depression: a feasibility trial exploring neural mechanisms

Exercise has emerged as an effective non-pharmacological treatment for depression in older and younger adults 1. The neural benefits of exercise overlap with several regional structural brain abnormalities in depression (i.e., prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, and hippocampus) 2. Only one study (N=41) has examined structural brain changes associated with exercise in depression and did not find changes in hippocampal volume; however, poor intervention adherence (mean=30%) limits interpretation of these findings 3.
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Tags: Brief Report Source Type: research