Cited by 334Treatment of Major DepressionPhysical Activity and HealthNeural and Behavioral Psychology Studies

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 97 of the 97 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Exercise effects on depression: Possible neural mechanisms

Open access

Gujral, Swathi, Aizenstein, Howard, Reynolds, Charles F., Butters, Meryl A., Erickson, Kirk I.·2017·General Hospital Psychiatry

DOI 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2017.04.012PMC PMC6437683

Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

Depression is a syndrome of stress- and emotion-dysregulation, involving compromised structural integrity of frontal-limbic networks. Meta-analytic evidence indicates that volumetric reductions in the hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex, striatum, and amygdala, as well as compromised white matter integrity are frequently observed in depressed adults. Exercise has shown promise as an effective treatment for depression, but few studies have attempted to characterize or identify the neural mechanisms of these effects. In this review, we examined the overlap between structural brain abnormalities in depression and the effects of exercise on brain structure in adults, to highlight possible neural mechanisms that may mediate the positive effects of exercise on depressive symptoms. The prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, and corpus callosum emerged as structural neural markers that may serve as targets for exercise-based treatments for depression. These findings highlight the need for randomized exercise interventions to test these proposed neurobiological mechanisms of exercise on depression.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2017.04.012

Cites

97 of 97 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Parallel organization of functionally segregated circuits linking basal ganglia and cortex
Alexander, G. E., DeLong, M. R., & Strick, P. L. (1986) · Annual Review of Neuroscience · doi:10.1146/annurev.ne.09.030186.002041 · Cited by 8,527
Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory
Erickson, K. I., Voss, M. W., Prakash, R. S., Basak, C., Szabo, A., Chaddock, L., Kim, J. S., Heo, S., Alves, H., White, S. M., et al. (2011) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1015950108 · Cited by 4,855
Self-citation
A Neurotrophic Model for Stress-Related Mood Disorders
Duman, R. S., & Monteggia, L. M. (2006) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.02.013 · Cited by 3,375
Regional Brain Changes in Aging Healthy Adults: General Trends, Individual Differences and Modifiers
Raz, N., Lindenberger, U., Rodrigue, K. M., Kennedy, K. M., Head, D., Williamson, A., Dahle, C., Gerstorf, D., & Acker, J. D. (2005) · Cerebral Cortex · doi:10.1093/cercor/bhi044 · Cited by 2,875
Brain structural and functional abnormalities in mood disorders: implications for neurocircuitry models of depression
Drevets, W. C., Price, J. L., & Furey, M. L. (2008) · Brain Structure and Function · doi:10.1007/s00429-008-0189-x · Cited by 2,241 · cited 2×
“Similar to findings of the hippocampus, abnormalities in the ACC may precede the onset of depression and may persist after remission from a depressive episode, suggesting that volume reductions in the ACC may represent a neurodevelopmental biomarker of risk for depression (49).”
BackgroundResult
Aerobic Exercise Training Increases Brain Volume in Aging Humans
Colcombe, S. J., Erickson, K. I., Scalf, P. E., Kim, J. S., Prakash, R., McAuley, E., Elavsky, S., Marquez, D. X., Hu, L., & Kramer, A. F. (2006) · The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences · doi:10.1093/gerona/61.11.1166 · Cited by 2,134
Self-citation
Exercise for depression
Cooney, G. M., Dwan, K., Greig, C. A., Lawlor, D. A., Rimer, J., Waugh, F. R., McMurdo, M., & Mead, G. E. (2013) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd004366.pub6 · Cited by 1,834
Major depressive disorder is associated with broad impairments on neuropsychological measures of executive function: A meta-analysis and review.
Snyder, H. R. (2013) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/a0028727 · Cited by 1,667
An in vivo correlate of exercise-induced neurogenesis in the adult dentate gyrus
Pereira, A. C., Huddleston, D. E., Brickman, A. M., Sosunov, A. A., Hen, R., McKhann, G. M., Sloan, R., Gage, F. H., Brown, T. R., & Small, S. A. (2007) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.0611721104 · Cited by 1,353
Adult hippocampal neurogenesis in depression
Sahay, A., & Hen, R. (2007) · Nature Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/nn1969 · Cited by 1,206

Show all 97 references

Sorted by citations

Items 101–200 of 332

The mediating effect of subject well-being between physical activity and the internet addiction of college students in China during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study
Wang, J., Xu, X., Wu, Q., Zhou, C., & Yang, G. (2024) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1368199 · Cited by 15
Correlation between the physical activity volume and cognitive and mental capacity among older adult people in China: a cross-sectional study based on the 2020 CHARLS database
Li, S., Zhang, J., Yang, Y., & Yang, Y. (2024) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1462570 · Cited by 16
Eight-week high-intensity interval training is associated with improved sleep quality and cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with depressive disorders
Jahrami, H., BaHammam, A. S., Stubbs, B., Sabah, A., Saif, Z., Bragazzi, N. L., & Vitiello, M. V. (2021) · Sleep And Breathing · doi:10.1007/s11325-021-02388-y · Cited by 19
Association Between Physical Exercise and Cognitive Function Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Endeshaw, Y. W., & Goldstein, F. C. (2020) · Journal of Applied Gerontology · doi:10.1177/0733464820952242 · Cited by 15
Psychometric Evaluation of the Revised Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI-R) Among Chinese College Students
Wang, Y., Shi, H., Liu, S., Wang, K., Griffiths, M. D., & Szabó, A. (2022) · International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction · doi:10.1007/s11469-022-00955-2 · Cited by 14
Bidirectional associations between dietary diversity and depressive symptoms in Chinese adult women: A retrospective cohort study
Dong, X., Li, Y., Wang, X., Duan, Y., Liu, M., Wang, S., He, X., Yang, P., Wang, Y., Xie, J., et al. (2024) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.258 · Cited by 13
Causal links between sedentary behavior, physical activity, and psychiatric disorders: a Mendelian randomization study
Ba, H., Zhang, L., Peng, H., He, X., & Wang, Y. (2024) · Annals of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/s12991-024-00495-0 · Cited by 15
Effects and neural mechanisms of different physical activity on major depressive disorder based on cerebral multimodality monitoring: a narrative review
Guan, J., Sun, Y., Fan, Y., Liang, J., Liu, C., Yu, H., & Liu, J. (2024) · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnhum.2024.1406670 · Cited by 18
Arctiin Mitigates Neuronal Injury by Modulating the P2X7R/NLPR3 Inflammasome Signaling Pathway
Jin, G., Wang, Y., Liu, Y., Lu, Y., Lu, J., Wang, J.-H., Jingwen, M., Quan, Y.-Z., Gao, H., Cui, Y., et al. (2024) · Inflammation · doi:10.1007/s10753-024-02117-z · Cited by 13
Moving minds: Mental health and wellbeing benefits of a 50-day workplace physical activity program
Hallam, K. T., Peeters, A., Gupta, A., & Bilsborough, S. (2022) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-021-02525-6 · Cited by 14
Association between changes in handgrip strength and depression in Korean adults: a longitudinal panel study
Kim, H., Jeong, W., Kim, S. H., Park, Y. S., Jang, S., & Park, E. (2022) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-022-18089-9 · Cited by 14
Evaluating the impact of aerobic and resistance green exercises on the fitness, aerobic and intrinsic capacity of older individuals
Ayaz, E. Y., Dinçer, B., Mete, E., Benli, R. K., Cinbaz, G., Karacan, E., Cankül, A., & Mesçi, B. (2023) · Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics · doi:10.1016/j.archger.2023.105281 · Cited by 13
Urine metabolomic responses to aerobic and resistance training in rats under chronic unpredictable mild stress
Han, Y., Jia, Y., Tian, J., Zhou, S., Chen, A., & Luo, X. (2020) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0237377 · Cited by 13
Study on the comorbid mechanisms of sarcopenia and late-life depression
Wu, J., Tang, J., Huang, D., Wang, Y., Zhou, E., Ru, Q., Xu, G., Chen, L., & Wu, Y. (2025) · Behavioural Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2025.115538 · Cited by 12
Depressive, anxiety, and sleep disturbance symptoms in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: a network analysis perspective
Luo, X. G., Li, S., Wu, Q., Xu, Y. J., Fang, R., Cheng, Y., & Zhang, B. (2025) · BMC Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/s12888-025-06532-w · Cited by 13
Effects of a four-week aerobic exercise programme on depression, anxiety and general self-efficacy in people living with HIV on highly active anti-retroviral therapy
Odunaiya, N. A., Agbaje, S. A., Adegoke, O. M., & Oguntibeju, O. O. (2021) · AIDS Care · doi:10.1080/09540121.2021.1883513 · Cited by 12
Associations of walking impairment with visual impairment, depression, and cognitive function in U.S. older adults: NHANES 2013–2014
Gao, W., Dai, P., Wang, Y., & Zhang, Y. (2022) · BMC Geriatrics · doi:10.1186/s12877-022-03189-y · Cited by 12
Neuropeptide Y – Its role in human performance and extreme environments
Kienast, C., Gunga, H., & Steinach, M. (2019) · REACH · doi:10.1016/j.reach.2019.100032 · Cited by 12
Catalpol enhanced physical exercise-mediated brain functional improvement in post-traumatic stress disorder model via promoting adult hippocampal neurogenesis
Sun, L., Zhang, W., Ye, R., Liu, L., Jiang, L., & Xi, C. (2021) · Aging · doi:10.18632/aging.203313 · Cited by 12
Stress-Relieving Effects of Sesame Oil Aroma and Identification of the Active Components
Takemoto, H., Saito, Y., Misumi, K., Nagasaki, M., & Masuo, Y. (2022) · Molecules · doi:10.3390/molecules27092661 · Cited by 12
Correlates and barriers of exercise, stress, and wellness in medical students
Deisz, M., Papproth, C., Ambler, E., Glick, M., & Eno, C. (2024) · Medical Science Educator · doi:10.1007/s40670-024-02134-5 · Cited by 11
Research trends of exercise therapy of college students in depression from 2002 to 2022: a bibliometric analysis
Ai, Z., Yuan, D., Meng, Y., Ai, Z., & Zhu, S. (2023) · Frontiers in Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnins.2023.1188341 · Cited by 13
The Interplay of Sports and Nutrition in Neurological Health and Recovery
Clemente‐Suárez, V. J., Redondo-Flórez, L., Beltrán-Velasco, A. I., Belinchón-deMiguel, P., Ramos‐Campo, D. J., Curiel-Regueros, A., Martín-Rodríguez, A., & Tornero-Aguilera, J. F. (2024) · Journal of Clinical Medicine · doi:10.3390/jcm13072065 · Cited by 13
Key lifestyles and health outcomes across 16 prevalent chronic diseases: A network analysis of an international observational study
Li, J., Fong, D., Lok, K. Y. W., Wong, J. Y. H., Ho, M. M., Choi, E. P. H., Pandian, V., Davidson, P. M., Duan, W., Tarrant, M., et al. (2024) · Journal of Global Health · doi:10.7189/jogh-14-04068 · Cited by 14
Association between 24-hour movement behavior and depression in college students: A compositional data analysis
Huang, Z., Chen, B., Dong, X., He, J., Liu, Y., Li, J., & Zhou, Y. (2024) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2024.10.039 · Cited by 13
Beneficial effects of physical activity on depressive and OCD-like behaviors in the male offspring of morphine-abstinent rats
Zadeh‐Tehrani, S. N., Sadat‐Shirazi, M., Akbarabadi, A., Aghadokht-Mamaghani, A., Soltani, H., Mokri, A., & Zarrindast, M. (2020) · Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146908 · Cited by 11
Association Between Depression and Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Hu, H., Chen, H., Zhu, C., Yue, X., Wang, H., Qian, G., Zhai, C., & He, C. (2021) · Journal of the American Heart Association · doi:10.1161/jaha.120.019071 · Cited by 11
Exercise as a Potential Therapeutic Strategy to Target the Clinical Link Between Depression and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Narrative Review
Freberg, E., & Taglialatela, G. (2022) · Journal of Alzheimer s Disease · doi:10.3233/jad-210632 · Cited by 11
Effect of Regular Physical Exercise on Gut Microbiota and Depressive Behaviors in Rats
Sheng, L., Wang, Y., Jiang, A., Zhou, Y., & Hong, Z. (2021) · Journal of Food Quality · doi:10.1155/2021/1210089 · Cited by 10
Research Progress on the Pharmacodynamic Mechanisms of Sini Powder against Depression from the Perspective of the Central Nervous System
Shen, Z., Yu, M., & Dong, Z. (2023) · Medicina · doi:10.3390/medicina59040741 · Cited by 10
The mediation and interaction of depressive symptoms in activities of daily living and active aging in rural elderly: A cross-sectional survey
Fu, X., Su, Y., Zeng, C., Liu, L., Guo, Y., & Wu, Y. (2022) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.942311 · Cited by 10
Reliable Cognitive Decline in Late-Life Major Depression
Manning, K. J., WU, R. T., McQuoid, D. R., Steffens, D. C., & Potter, G. G. (2022) · Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology · doi:10.1093/arclin/acac083 · Cited by 10
Change in Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Risk of Depression, Anxiety, and Cerebrovascular Disease
Wiklund, C. A., Lindwall, M., Ekblom, Ö. B., Nyberg, J., Åberg, M., Paulsson, S. Å., & Ekblom‐Bak, E. (2024) · American Journal of Preventive Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2024.07.012 · Cited by 9
Microstructural changes in the brain after long‐term post‐concussion symptoms: A randomized trial
Næss‐Schmidt, E. T., Blicher, J. U., Thastum, M. M., Rask, C. U., Svendsen, S. W., Schröder, A., Tuborgh, A. H., Østergaard, L., Sangill, R., Lund, T. E., et al. (2020) · Journal of Neuroscience Research · doi:10.1002/jnr.24773 · Cited by 9
Qualitative Evaluation Informs Understanding of Motor Cognition and Therapies in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment
Lazris, D., Perkins, M. M., Bay, A. A., & Hackney, M. E. (2021) · Journal of Alzheimer s Disease · doi:10.3233/jad-210617 · Cited by 9
The Association of HHV-6 and the TNF-α (-308G/A) Promotor with Major Depressive Disorder Patients and Healthy Controls in Thailand
Sumala, S., Ekalaksananan, T., Pientong, C., Buddhisa, S., Passorn, S., Duangjit, S., Janyakhantikul, S., Suktus, A., & Bumrungthai, S. (2023) · Viruses · doi:10.3390/v15091898 · Cited by 9
Multidimensional analyses of the effect of exercise on women with depression
Yan, L.-B., Zhang, J., Zhou, Q., & Peng, F. (2021) · Medicine · doi:10.1097/md.0000000000026858 · Cited by 9
Influence of eight weeks of combined training on adipsin and lipoprotein profile and possible relations with depression, anxiety and stress in women with multiple sclerosis
Birjandi, K. C., Sharafi, J., Etemadizade, A., & Ghasemi, E. (2022) · Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation · doi:10.1515/hmbci-2022-0027 · Cited by 10
Physical activity in the treatment-resistance depression and non-remitted depression: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Etxaniz‐Oses, J., Iriarte‐Yoller, N., Tous‐Espelosin, M., & Maldonado‐Martín, S. (2023) · F1000Research · doi:10.12688/f1000research.140970.1 · Cited by 8
Physical Activity as Treatment for Depression in Recreation Therapy: Transitioning from Research to Practice
Nagata, S., McCormick, B. P., & Austin, D. R. (2020) · Therapeutic Recreation Journal · doi:10.18666/trj-2020-v54-i1-9745 · Cited by 12
Evaluation of the effect of insulin sensitivity-enhancing lifestyle- and dietary-related adjuncts on antidepressant treatment response: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Jeremiah, O. J., Cousins, G., Boland, F., Kirby, B. P., & Ryan, B. K. (2020) · Heliyon · doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04845 · Cited by 10
Prevalence and risk factors of antenatal depression in the first trimester: A real-world cross-sectional study in a developed district in South China
Cheng, J., Peng, Y., Xiong, J., Qin, X., Peng, Z., Mao, W., Li, H., Wang, M., Zhang, L., Ju, Y., et al. (2024) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2024.07.094 · Cited by 8
Running exercise decreases microglial activation in the medial prefrontal cortex in an animal model of depression
Liu, S., Xiao, Q., Tang, J., Li, Y., Zhu, P., Liang, X., Huang, D., Liu, L., Deng, Y., Jiang, L. H., et al. (2024) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2024.09.124 · Cited by 8
Physiology mechanisms of exercise for PTSD: a narrative review
Dong, H., & Lin, Z. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1483523 · Cited by 12
Association of active commuting with incidence of depression and anxiety: prospective cohort study
Fan, J., Zhang, X., Jia, X., Fan, Z., Yang, C., Wang, Y., Zhao, C., Wang, N., Shi, X., & Yang, Y. (2025) · Translational Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/s41398-024-03219-w · Cited by 10
A Comprehensive Review on Major Depressive Disorder: Exploring Etiology, Pathogenesis and Clinical Approaches
Mehra, A., Khanna, J., Singh, G., Sachdeva, V., & Bedi, N. (2025) · Current Behavioral Neuroscience Reports · doi:10.1007/s40473-025-00308-y · Cited by 8
Aerobic exercise strategies for anxiety and depression among children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Song, H., Ge, S., Wang, Y., Ran, L., & Zhang, H. (2025) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2025.1555029 · Cited by 12
Empowering the Health and Well-Being of the Palliative Care Workforce: Evaluation of a Weekly Self-Care Checklist
Swan, A., Azhar, A., Anderson, A. E., Williams, J. L., Liu, D., & Bruera, E. D. (2020) · Journal of Pain and Symptom Management · doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.09.024 · Cited by 8
Exploring the Role of Resilience as a Mediator in Selective Preventive Transdiagnostic Intervention (PROCARE+) for Adolescents at Risk of Emotional Disorders
Vivas-Fernández, M., López, L. J. G., Muela-Martínez, J. A., Piqueras, J. A., Fernández, L. E., Jiménez-Vázquez, D., & Díaz-Castela, M. D. M. (2024) · European Journal of Psychology Open · doi:10.1024/2673-8627/a000054 · Cited by 11
Effects of exercise on depressive symptoms among nursing home residents: a meta-analysis
Li, L., Luo, J., Reangsing, C., & Schneider, J. K. (2021) · Aging & Mental Health · doi:10.1080/13607863.2021.1951658 · Cited by 8
Personality factors and cognitive functioning in patients with somatic symptom and related disorders
de Vroege, L., Jong, J. E. W.-D., Videler, A. C., & Kop, W. J. (2022) · Journal of Psychosomatic Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2022.111067 · Cited by 8
Device-based physical activity and late-life depressive symptoms: An analysis of influential factors using share data
Félez-Nóbrega, M., Werneck, A. O., Fatouhi, D. E., de Luca, K. E., Islam, S. M. S., & Franzese, F. (2022) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.11.006 · Cited by 8
Effects of chronic exercise on different central features of depression in adults with depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis of random controlled trials
Li, S., Jia, J., Xu, B., & Wang, X. (2025) · Psychology of sport and exercise · doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2025.102824 · Cited by 8
Association of handgrip strength weakness and asymmetry with cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms in older Chinese adults
Abudukelimu, N., Zhang, P., Du, J., Li, M., Shen, Y., Mao, Y., Wang, D., & Zhu, Q. (2025) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-025-93573-6 · Cited by 7
Cross-Training and Resistance Training in Adults with Type B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia during the Induction Phase: A Randomized Blind Pilot Study
Gallardo-Rodríguez, A. G., Fuchs‐Tarlovsky, V., Ocharan-Hernández, M. E., & Peñafiel, C. O. R. (2023) · Journal of Clinical Medicine · doi:10.3390/jcm12155008 · Cited by 7
Changes of Serum C-Reactive Protein Level in Patients With Depressive Disorders After Treatment With Agomelatine Combined With Aerobic Exercise and Its Significance
Sun, Z., Chen, S., Zhang, H., Gu, X., Ge, H., & Chen, J. (2023) · Clinical Neuropharmacology · doi:10.1097/wnf.0000000000000568 · Cited by 8
Jazz Dance on Menopausal Symptoms and Psychological Aspects: A Randomized Clinical Trial Pilot Study With Follow-Up
Martins, J. B. B., Fausto, D. Y., Sperandio, F. F., Sonza, A., Matias, T. S., & Guimarães, A. C. D. A. (2024) · Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport · doi:10.1080/02701367.2024.2406401 · Cited by 10
Regular Exercise and Depressive Symptoms in Korean Older Adults
Kim, Y., & Cho, S. (2021) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph18010303 · Cited by 8
Cardiorespiratory fitness in midlife and subsequent incident depression, long-term sickness absence, and disability pension due to depression in 330,247 men and women
Wiklund, C. A., Ekblom, Ö. B., Paulsson, S. Å., Lindwall, M., & Ekblom‐Bak, E. (2024) · Preventive Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2024.107916 · Cited by 6
Associations between takeaway food consumption, physical activity levels, and their joint effect with comorbid depression and anxiety symptoms among Chinese university students
Zhang, Y., Wan, B., Wang, M., Hong, Y., & Lu, J. (2025) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-025-21605-x · Cited by 6
Improvement in cognitive impairment following a 12‐week aerobic exercise intervention in individuals with non‐cirrhotic chronic hepatitis C
O’Gorman, P., Strahan, O., Ferguson, D., Monaghan, A., Kennedy, M., Forde, C., Melo, A. M., Doherty, D. G., O’Brien, K. K., McKiernan, S. M., et al. (2020) · Journal of Viral Hepatitis · doi:10.1111/jvh.13460 · Cited by 6
Change in cardiorespiratory fitness on self-rated health: prospective cohort study in 98 718 Swedish adults
Holmlund, T., Blom, V., Hemmingsson, E., Ekblom, B. T., Andersson, G. B. J., Wallin, P., & Ekblom‐Bak, E. (2021) · Scandinavian Journal of Public Health · doi:10.1177/14034948211047140 · Cited by 6
A Bibliometric and Visual Analysis of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Studies in Depression
Zhang, Z. M., Yang, Y., Kong, W., Huang, S., Tan, Y., Huang, S., Zhang, M., Lu, H., Li, Y., Li, X., et al. (2023) · Current Neuropharmacology · doi:10.2174/1570159x21666230815125430 · Cited by 5
Antidepressive Effects of Exercise
Park, S. (2018) · 신경정신의학 · doi:10.4306/jknpa.2018.57.2.139 · Cited by 6
Effects of different forms of single moderate-intensity exercise on inhibitory function and instant emotion of undergraduate students with depressive symptoms: a randomized controlled trial based on ERP
Gao, F., Jia, S., Yin, S., Yin, Z., Guan, W., Ding, F., Wang, X., & Wan, P. (2025) · BMC Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/s12888-025-07310-4 · Cited by 5
“Chronic exercise upregulates hippocampal BDNF expression and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) signaling in stress-sensitive neural circuits, thereby attenuating stress-induced hippocampal neurodegeneration while enhancing neuroplasticity [22].”
Association between autonomic dysfunction with motor and non-motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease
Qin, Y., Meng, D., Jin, Z., Du, W.-J., & Fang, B. (2024) · Journal of Neural Transmission · doi:10.1007/s00702-024-02745-7 · Cited by 8
Identifying modifiable factors and their joint effect on brain health: an exposome-wide association study
Huang, L., Ge, Y., Fu, Y., Zhao, Y., Ou, Y., Zhang, Y., Ma, L., Chen, S.-D., Guo, Z., Feng, J., et al. (2024) · GeroScience · doi:10.1007/s11357-024-01224-x · Cited by 5
The Association Between Low Muscle Mass and the Risk of Depressive Symptoms: A Cross‐Sectional Study Based on the Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS)
Yang, Y., Wang, Y., Chen, Q. Y., Li, L., & Jia, W. (2025) · Brain and Behavior · doi:10.1002/brb3.70267 · Cited by 5
Regulatory role of cytokines on etiology of depression in animal models: their biological mechanisms and clinical implication with physical exercise
Park, H.-J., Rhie, S. J., & Shim, I. (2022) · Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation · doi:10.12965/jer.2244506.253 · Cited by 5
Functional magnetic resonance imaging study on anxiety and depression disorders induced by chronic restraint stress in rats
Li, Z., Ma, Y., Bo, D., Hu, B., He, H., Jia, J., Xiong, M., Xu, T., Xu, B., & Xi, W. (2023) · Behavioural Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114496 · Cited by 5
Expanding the notion of mechanism to further understanding of biopsychosocial disorders? Depression and medically-unexplained pain as cases in point
Konsman, J. P. (2023) · Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A · doi:10.1016/j.shpsa.2023.12.002 · Cited by 6
Use of Extracellular Monomeric Ubiquitin as a Therapeutic Option for Major Depressive Disorder
Maldonado-García, J. L., García-Mena, L. H., Cabrera, D. M., Pérez‐Sánchez, G., Becerril‐Villanueva, E., Álvarez-Herrera, S., Homberg, T. A., Vallejo‐Castillo, L., Pérez‐Tapia, S. M., Moreno-Lafont, M. C., et al. (2024) · Pharmaceuticals · doi:10.3390/ph17070841 · Cited by 5
Physical Activity Level, Anthropometric and Cardiovascular Profile Among Students in Sergipe State Attending Public Schools
Azevêdo, L. M., Santos, L. S., Pardono, E., de Almeida, J. A., & Menezes, A. S. (2020) · International Journal of Cardiovascular Sciences · doi:10.36660/ijcs.20200050 · Cited by 5
[Quality of life, depression and its relation to the severity in psoriasis].
López-Mejía, R., Ramales-Montes, E. M. R.-M. M., Ley-Silva, L. S., Romero-Sansalvador, C. Y., & Gutiérrez-Gabriel, I. (2022) · PubMed Central · Cited by 5
Factors Influencing Disabled Stroke Survivors’ Quality of Life in Rural China: Based on the Structural Characteristics and Psychometric Properties of the SF-36 Assessment
Xu, Q., Zheng, D., Chen, S., He, Y., Lin, Z., Yao, D., Wang, J., Zhao, J., Wu, L., Liao, Q., et al. (2023) · Journal of Clinical Medicine · doi:10.3390/jcm12083012 · Cited by 5
Relationships between Physical Activity and Selected Chronic Diseases among Functionally Independent Long-Term Care Residents during the Post-Lockdown Period in Croatia
Crnković, I., Lončarek, K., Železnik, D., Fičko, S. L., Vlahović, T., Režan, R., & Knežević, G. (2023) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph20136301 · Cited by 5
A decade of progress in sports and exercise neuroscience from 2012 to 2022: A review and perspectives
Wei, G.-X., Ge, L.-K., & Lin, X. (2024) · Chinese Science Bulletin (Chinese Version) · doi:10.1360/tb-2024-0034 · Cited by 5
Targeting the cGAS-STING Pathway: Modulating Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Autophagy for Novel Depression Therapies
Ma, W., Chu, S., Ma, Y., Wang, S., & Ma, X. (2025) · Current Neuropharmacology · doi:10.2174/011570159x386374250623095520 · Cited by 4
Suicidality Among Austrian Farmers: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Disparities Compared to the General Population
Humer, E. C., Gächter, A., Pieh, C., Zeldovich, M., & Neubauer, V. (2025) · Archives of Suicide Research · doi:10.1080/13811118.2025.2552954 · Cited by 5
Recent Advances in Multimodal Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Late-Life Depression
Xu, T., Mao, Y., Wang, Y., Gong, Y., & Yu, E. (2025) · Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment · doi:10.2147/ndt.s558969 · Cited by 4
A study of the relationship between leisure-time physical activity and residents’ quality of life
Feng, C., Shi, Z., Tian, Y., Ma, C., & Liu, J. (2024) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-024-05990-x · Cited by 4
Associations of physical activity volume and intensity with depression symptoms among US adults
You, J., Long, J., Wang, Z., & Yang, Y. (2025) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2025.1592961 · Cited by 4
Understanding the correlation between benevolent childhood experiences, negative life events and mental health: The role of health risk behaviors
Zhu, L., Gong, L., Hu, K., Niu, J. X., Wang, S., Yang, P., Zhang, Q., & Zhang, Y. (2025) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2025.119722 · Cited by 4
The Relationship Between Different Components and Levels of Physical Exercise, Depressive Symptoms, Inhibitory Control, and Possible Cognitive Neural Mechanisms in College Students
Li, S., Jia, S., Yun, S., Guo, Z., Wang, X., & Zhang, Q. (2025) · CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics · doi:10.1111/cns.70520 · Cited by 7
Depressive Symptoms and Their Longitudinal Impact on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors Among Mexican-Heritage Youth
Hamilton, C. N. B., Ylitalo, K. R., Wende, M. E., Sharkey, J. R., & Meyer, M. R. U. (2023) · Family & Community Health · doi:10.1097/fch.0000000000000388 · Cited by 4
Running exercise reverses depression-induced bone marrow myeloid skewing and neuroinflammation via the lactate-GPR81 axis
Chen, B., Tian, R., Wu, B., Chen, Z., Liu, D., & Zhu, Q. (2025) · International Immunopharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.intimp.2025.115379 · Cited by 4
Structural and Functional Brain Alterations in Populations with Familial Risk for Depression: A Narrative Review
Burhanoğlu, B. B., & Gönül, A. S. (2022) · Harvard Review of Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/hrp.0000000000000350 · Cited by 5
Beyond survival: Practical wellness tips during the 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic
Maniuk, T., Mok, G., Schouela, N., Thurgur, L., Ho, M., Fischer, L. M., & Syed, S. (2020) · Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine · doi:10.1017/cem.2020.433 · Cited by 4
Atividade física e saúde mental durante a pandemia da COVID-19: uma revisão rápida de estudos epidemiológicos brasileiros
Waclawovsky, A. J., dos Santos, E. B., & Schuch, F. B. (2021) · Revista Brasileira de Psicoterapia · doi:10.5935/2318-0404.20210011 · Cited by 4
Mechanisms underlying exercise as a treatment for depression
Koppelmans, V., & Weisenbach, S. L. (2019) · The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jagp.2019.02.008 · Cited by 3
Effects of aerobic exercise on white matter hyperintensities: An exploratory analysis
Smith, P. J., Sherwood, A., & Blumenthal, J. A. (2018) · General Hospital Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2018.01.007 · Cited by 3
Potential Roles of Exercise and Quercetin in Modulating Cancer Pathways and Cognitive Function
Lei, P. (2025) · Phytotherapy Research · doi:10.1002/ptr.70016 · Cited by 4
Exercise and its beneficial impacts on mood disorders and neurodegeneration: a novel mechanistic perspective of the exosomes involvement
Wang, J., Fan, S., & Wang, J. (2025) · Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry · doi:10.1007/s11010-025-05357-1 · Cited by 3
Association of Physical Activity with the Prevention and Treatment of Depression During the Postpartum Period: A Narrative Review
Fotso, M. N., Gonzalez, N. A., Sanivarapu, R. R., Osman, U., Kumar, A. L., Sadagopan, A., Mahmoud, A., Begg, M., Tarhuni, M., & Khan, S. (2023) · Cureus · doi:10.7759/cureus.44453 · Cited by 3
PRKCB methylation: a potential biomarker of MDD with childhood chronic stress, a cross-sectional study in drug-naive, first-episode adolescent MDD
Tao, Y., Jin, M., Zhang, H., Ran, M., Xu, H., Zou, S., Deng, F., Huang, L., Zhang, H., Wang, X., et al. (2024) · Epigenetics · doi:10.1080/15592294.2024.2408159 · Cited by 3
The mediating effects of depression in sedentary behavior and the metabolic syndrome with its components
Wei, X., Li, S., Yue, W., Zhang, Z., Wei, J., Wang, L., Hu, B., Long, N., Li, C., Hou, B., et al. (2025) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-025-22030-w · Cited by 3
Enhancing cognitive and emotional well-being in older adults through aerobic, strength, or balance training: insights from a randomized controlled trial
Chen, X., Wang, Y., Tang, C., Chen, H., Cui, L., Yu, X., & Wang, F. (2025) · Acta Psychologica · doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105068 · Cited by 7
Impact of cardiovascular risk factors on the relationships of physical activity with mood and cognitive function in a diverse sample
Minto, L. R., Ellis, R., Cherry, K. E., Wood, R. H., Barber, S. J., Carter, S. E., & Dotson, V. M. (2022) · Aging Neuropsychology and Cognition · doi:10.1080/13825585.2022.2071414 · Cited by 3
The 50 most-cited review papers on physical activity and depression: A bibliometric analysis
Zhai, L., & Xu, M. L. (2023) · Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice · doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2023.101745 · Cited by 3
Physical activity in the treatment-resistant depression and non-remitted depression: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Etxaniz‐Oses, J., Iriarte‐Yoller, N., Tous‐Espelosin, M., & Maldonado‐Martín, S. (2024) · F1000Research · doi:10.12688/f1000research.140970.2 · Cited by 3

Authors: Gujral, S., Aizenstein, H., Reynolds, C. F., Butters, M. A., & Erickson, K. I.
Affiliations: University of Pittsburgh (US)
Corresponding author: Gujral, Swathi
ORCID: Gujral, Swathi
Aizenstein, Howard
Reynolds, Charles F.
Butters, Meryl A.
Erickson, Kirk I.
Venue: General Hospital Psychiatry
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2017-11
Volume: 49
Pages: 2-10
ISSN: 0163-8343 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2017.04.012
PMC: PMC6437683
OpenAlex: W2767771037
Cited by: 334
References: 97
Citations by year: 2026: 33 · 2025: 42 · 2024: 55 · 2023: 67 · 2022: 40 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 40 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 10
FWCI: 2.15
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: bronze
doi.org
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
www.elsevier.com/legal/tdmrep-license (tdm)
www.elsevier.com/open-access/userlicense/1.0/ (am, 371 d)
doi.org/10.15223/policy-017 (stm-asf)
doi.org/10.15223/policy-037 (stm-asf)
doi.org/10.15223/policy-012 (stm-asf)
doi.org/10.15223/policy-029 (stm-asf)
doi.org/10.15223/policy-004 (stm-asf)
Locations: General Hospital Psychiatry (acceptedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders: National Science Foundation (P30 MH090333, R01 DK095172, P30 AG024827, P30 MH90333, P50 AG005133, 2014192810)
Topics: Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology (medical) › Treatment of Major Depression
Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Physical Activity and Health
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
Keywords: physical activity, depression, neural mechanisms, brain structure, hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex, corpus callosum, white matter integrity, structural brain abnormalities, neuroplasticity
MeSH terms: Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Brain, Depression, Depressive Disorder, Exercise Therapy, Humans, Middle Aged, Young Adult

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

Exercise effects on depression: Possible neural mechanisms

Abstract

Overview

Integrity signals

Verification

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Self-check

Citations

Cites

Cited by

Related

Metadata

Record

About these checks