The DOI matches its Crossref record; 271 of the 274 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Physical activity and depression: Towards understanding the antidepressant mechanisms of physical activity
Abstract
Physical activity can treat and prevent depressive symptoms, but its antidepressant mechanisms are yet to be established. In this review, we comprehensively assess key biological and psychosocial mechanisms through which physical activity exerts antidepressant effects, with a particular focus on exercise. Exercise, a subset of physical activity, influences a range of biological and psychosocial processes also implicated in the pathophysiology of depression. We focus on the capacity for exercise to elicit changes in neuroplasticity, inflammation, oxidative stress, the endocrine system, self-esteem, social support and self-efficacy. We also discuss how a better understanding of these mechanisms can inform the way we design and implement exercise-based interventions to maximise their antidepressant effects on an individual basis. We conclude by presenting a conceptual framework of the key biological and psychosocial mechanisms underlying the relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms, and the moderators and confounders that may influence it.
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“Wearable activity trackers also have the potential to improve psychosocial outcomes, such as depression and anxiety, through increases in physical activity, as physical activity is shown to have anti depressant 12 and anxiolytic 13 effects.”
From Effectiveness of wearable activity trackers to increase physical activity and improve health: a systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. (2022) · cites this paper as [12]
Citations
Cites
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Association Between Physical Activity and Risk of Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Pearce, M., Garcia, L., Abbas, A., Strain, T., Schuch, F. B., Golubic, R., Kelly, P., Khan, S., Utukuri, M., Laird, Y., et al. (2022) · JAMA Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.0609 · Cited by 1,332
Major depressive disorder: hypothesis, mechanism, prevention and treatment
Cui, L., Li, S., Wang, S., Wu, X., Liu, Y., Yu, W., Wang, Y., Tang, Y., Xia, M., & Li, B. (2024) · Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy · doi:10.1038/s41392-024-01738-y · Cited by 1,244
The COVID-19 pandemic and physical activity
Woods, J. A., Hutchinson, N. T., Powers, S. K., Roberts, W. O., Gómez‐Cabrera, M. C., Radak, Z. O., Berkes, I., Boros, A., Boldogh, I. R., Leeuwenburgh, C., et al. (2020) · Sports Medicine and Health Science · doi:10.1016/j.smhs.2020.05.006 · Cited by 647
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Kandola, A. A., Lewis, G., Osborn, D., Stubbs, B., & Hayes, J. (2020) · The Lancet Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s2215-0366(20)30034-1 · Cited by 383
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Metadata
- Authors
- Kandola, A., Ashdown-Franks, G., Hendrikse, J., Sabiston, C. M., & Stubbs, B.
- Affiliations
- University College London (GB)
- Monash University (AU)
- University of Toronto (CA)
- National Health Service (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Kandola, Aaron
- Venue
- Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019-12
- Volume
- 107
- Pages
- 525-539
- ISSN
- 0149-7634 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2978644324
- Semantic Scholar
- 670b2192975cd4b76fb8c9b5e099dff17236b86b
- Cited by
- 1,309
- References
- 274
- Citations by year
- 2026: 228 · 2025: 299 · 2024: 241 · 2023: 208 · 2022: 179 · 2021: 100 · 2020: 51 · 2019: 2
- FWCI
- 9.75
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research at York St John (York St John University) (acceptedVersion)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- ESRC (ES/P000592/1)
- Mitacs Globalink Award
- Canada Research Chairs Program
- RTS scholarship
- Health Education England
- National Institute for Health Research HEE NIHR ICA Program Clinical Lectureship (ICA‐CL‐2017‐03‐001)
- Maudsley Charity and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research
- Care South London at King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology (medical) › Treatment of Major Depression
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Keywords
- physical activity, depression, antidepressant mechanism, neuroplasticity, inflammation, oxidative stress, endocrine system, self-esteem, social support, self-efficacy, exercise-based interventions
- MeSH terms
- Antidepressive Agents, Depression, Depressive Disorder, Humans, Neuronal Plasticity, Social Support, Exercise
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