Efficacy of exercise as an adjunct treatment for clinically depressed inpatients during the initial stages of antidepressant pharmacotherapy: an open randomized controlled trial.

Legrand, Fabien D.; Neff, Elise M.

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2015.11.047

Cited by 58Treatment of Major DepressionPhysical Activity and HealthAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

Efficacy of exercise as an adjunct treatment for clinically depressed inpatients during the initial stages of antidepressant pharmacotherapy: an open randomized controlled trial.

Legrand, Fabien D., Neff, Elise M.·2016·Journal of Affective Disorders

DOI 10.1016/j.jad.2015.11.047

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Abstract

Background Physical exercise as adjunctive treatment for hospitalized patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) has been of increasing interest in the past few years. While preliminary findings are promising, these prior studies have been plagued by inclusion of participants at different stages of medication use at study entry. The present study evaluates the effects of a short (10-days) add-on endurance-training intervention in hospitalized MDD patients on antidepressant medication for less than two weeks.Method Thirty-five participants were randomly assigned to one of three study groups: aerobic exercise (n=14), placebo (stretching) exercise (n=11), or no intervention (control; n=10). The study outcome was the change in the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) total score from baseline to the end of the study period.Results The intent-to-treat analysis showed significant improvements in BDI-II scores for both the aerobic and the stretching groups. However, comparing pre- to post-study depression changes in these two groups, we found a large effect size in favor of aerobic exercise (Cohen's d=-1.06). No significant change in depressive symptoms was found in the control group.Limitations The nature of the intervention (i.e., exercise) meant blinding participants to treatments was not possible. Precise information on medication dosage was not available, and the short duration of interventions and lack of follow-up assessment were all limitations.Conclusions Endurance-training can be a helpful adjunct treatment for hospitalized patients with severe affective disorders in the initial stages of pharmacotherapy.

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The final sample size was estimated at 126 participants, with 42 participants per group, after anticipating a 30% drop-out rate based on a required 99 participants for power 0.95.
“The results indicated that a total sample size of 99 participants for three equal-sized groups is needed to achieve a power of 0.95, with three groups and three measurements. In anticipation of a drop-out rate of 30%, the final sample size estimated was at 126 participants. Therefore, 42 participants were needed for each group.”
From Study protocol on the efficacy of exergames-acceptance and commitment therapy program for the treatment of major depressive disorder: Comparison with acceptance and commitment therapy alone and treatment-as-usual in a multicentre randomised controlled trial (2024) · cites this paper as [35]
The inclusion of AE to a traditional antidepressant intervention has been shown to have a greater impact on reducing depressive symptoms in patients with MDD than antidepressant treatment alone.
“Additionally, the inclusion of AE to a traditional antidepressant intervention has been shown to have greater impact on reducing depressive symptoms in patients with MDD, than antidepressant treatment alone (Knubben et al., 2007; Schuch et al., 2011; Legrand and Neff, 2016).”
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 Legrand and Neff, 2016

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“…based on a previous three-group parallel RCT, which compared the efficacy of aerobic exercise plus antidepressants, placebo exercise plus anti-depressants and antidepressants alone conducted by Legrand and Neff (2016), where the effect size was 0.18, 35 with alpha error of 0.05 and two-tailed.”
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Explorando o efeito adjuvante do exercício físico em pacientes com transtorno depressivo maior: um ensaio clínico randomizado
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Authors: Legrand, F. D., & Neff, E. M.
Affiliations: Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne (FR)
Corresponding author: Legrand, Fabien D.
ORCID: Legrand, Fabien D.
Venue: Journal of Affective Disorders
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2016-02
Volume: 191
Pages: 139-144
ISSN: 0165-0327 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.11.047
OpenAlex: W2187738869
Cited by: 58
References: 32
Citations by year: 2026: 10 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 1
FWCI: 1.92
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations: Journal of Affective Disorders (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
HAL (submittedVersion)
Topics: Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords: exercise therapy, major depressive disorder, hospitalized patients, antidepressant treatment, aerobic exercise, endurance training, stretching, adjunctive therapy, depression severity, Beck Depression Inventory
MeSH terms: Adult, Antidepressive Agents, Depression, Depressive Disorder, Major, Major Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Inpatients, Male, Middle Aged, Personality Inventory, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Exercise, Treatment Outcome

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Efficacy of exercise as an adjunct treatment for clinically depressed inpatients during the initial stages of antidepressant pharmacotherapy: an open randomized controlled trial.

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