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Cited by 185Schizophrenia research and treatmentPhysical Activity and HealthTreatment of Major Depression

Effects of aerobic exercise on cognitive performance and individual psychopathology in depressive and schizophrenia patients

Oertel-Knöchel, Viola, Mehler, Pia, Thiel, Christian, Steinbrecher, Kristina, Malchow, Berend, Tesky, Valentina, Ademmer, Karin, Prvulovic, David +4 more·2014·European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
DOI 10.1007/s00406-014-0485-9
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Abstract

Cognitive deficits are core symptoms in patients with schizophrenia (SZ) and major depressive disorder (MDD), but specific and approved treatments for cognitive deterioration are scarce. Experimental and clinical evidence suggests that aerobic exercise may help to reduce psychopathological symptoms and support cognitive performance, but this has not yet been systematically investigated. In the current study, we examined the effects of aerobic training on cognitive performance and symptom severity in psychiatric inpatients. To our knowledge, to date, no studies have been published that directly compare the effects of exercise across disease groups in order to acquire a better understanding of disease-specific versus general or overlapping effects of physical training intervention. Two disease groups (n=22 MDD patients, n=29 SZ patients) that were matched for age, gender, duration of disease and years of education received cognitive training combined either with aerobic physical exercise or with mental relaxation training. The interventions included 12 sessions (3 times a week) over a time period of 4 weeks, lasting each for 75 min (30 min of cognitive training+45 min of cardio training/mental relaxation training). Cognitive parameters and psychopathology scores of all participants were tested in pre- and post-testing sessions and were then compared with a waiting control group. In the total group of patients, the results indicate an increase in cognitive performance in the domains visual learning, working memory and speed of processing, a decrease in state anxiety and an increase in subjective quality of life between pre- and post-testing. The effects in SZ patients compared with MDD patients were stronger for cognitive performance, whereas there were stronger effects in MDD patients compared with SZ patients in individual psychopathology values. MDD patients showed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms and state anxiety values after the intervention period. SZ patients reduced their negative symptoms severity from pre- to post-testing. In sum, the effects for the combined training were superior to the other forms of treatment. Physical exercise may help to reduce psychopathological symptoms and improve cognitive skills. The intervention routines employed in this study promise to add the current psychopathological and medical treatment options and could aid the transition to a multidisciplinary approach. However, a limitation of the current study is the short time interval for interventions (6 weeks including pre- and post-testing).

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  • Exercise training produces improved neurocognitive performances in people with mental health conditions such as schizophrenia or depression.

    “In addition to having few adverse side effects, PA may have further benefits for daily functioning as research has found exercise training to produce improved neurocognitive performances in people with mental health conditions such as schizophrenia or depression [44, 45].”

    From Moving to Beat Anxiety: Epidemiology and Therapeutic Issues with Physical Activity for Anxiety (2018) · cites this paper as [45]

  • Aerobic exercise may also be a promising approach for various psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia or major depressive disorder.

    “AE has been suggested as a promising approach in remediating hippocampal harm and cognitive deficits caused by neurodegenerative disorders like AD (Intlekofer and Cotman, 2013), but AE may also be a promising approach for various psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia or MDD (Oertel-Knöchel et al., 2014).”

    From Aerobic Exercise as a Tool to Improve Hippocampal Plasticity and Function in Humans: Practical Implications for Mental Health Treatment (2016) · cites this paper as Oertel-Knöchel et al., 2014

  • In patients with MDD, several interventional studies have demonstrated that AE can promote cognitive performance in executive functioning, attention, inhibitory control, speed of processing, working and spatial memory, and visual learning.

    “In patients with MDD, several interventional studies have demonstrated that AE can promote cognitive performance in executive functioning, attention, inhibitory control, speed of processing, working and spatial memory and visual learning (Kubesch et al., 2003; Vasques et al., 2011; Oertel-Knöchel et al., 2014; Greer et al., 2015).”

    From Aerobic Exercise as a Tool to Improve Hippocampal Plasticity and Function in Humans: Practical Implications for Mental Health Treatment (2016) · cites this paper as Oertel-Knöchel et al., 2014

  • Both cross-sectional and interventional studies have demonstrated that AE can promote cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia across a range of cognitive domains including speed of processing, short-term and working memory, and visual learning.

    “Both cross-sectional (Kimhy et al., 2014) and interventional studies (Pajonk et al., 2010; Oertel-Knöchel et al., 2014; Kimhy et al., 2015; McEwen et al., 2015) have demonstrated that AE can promote cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia across a range of cognitive domains including speed of processing, short-term and working memory and visual learning.”

    From Aerobic Exercise as a Tool to Improve Hippocampal Plasticity and Function in Humans: Practical Implications for Mental Health Treatment (2016) · cites this paper as Oertel-Knöchel et al., 2014

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Authors
Oertel-Knöchel, V., Mehler, P., Thiel, C., Steinbrecher, K., Malchow, B., Tesky, V., Ademmer, K., Prvulovic, D., Banzer, W., Zopf, Y., Schmitt, A., & Hänsel, F.
Affiliations
  • Goethe University Frankfurt (DE)
  • Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE)
  • Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (DE)
  • Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
  • Technische Universität Darmstadt (DE)
ORCID
Venue
European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2014-02-02
Volume
264
Issue
7
Pages
589-604
ISSN
  • 0003-9373 (ISSN-L)
  • 0940-1334
  • 1433-8491
DOI
10.1007/s00406-014-0485-9
OpenAlex
W2026873913
Cited by
185
References
70
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 5
FWCI
14.37
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
Keywords
aerobic exercise, cognitive performance, major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, cognitive impairment, state anxiety, negative symptoms, quality of life, working memory, processing speed, visual learning, psychiatric inpatients
MeSH terms
Adult, Analysis of Variance, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Cognition Disorders, Depression, Exercise Therapy, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Relaxation, Schizophrenia, Schizophrenic Psychology, Exercise

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