Effect of physical exercise training on neural activity during working memory in major depressive disorder

M K Schwefel; C Kaufmann; G Gutmann; R Henze; T Fydrich; M A Rapp; A Ströhle; A Heissel; S Heinzel

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2024.12.016

Effect of physical exercise training on neural activity during working memory in major depressive disorder

J Affect Disord. 2024 Dec 3:372:269-278. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.12.016. Online ahead of print.

Authors

M K Schwefel¹, C Kaufmann², G Gutmann³, R Henze⁴, T Fydrich², M A Rapp⁵, A Ströhle⁶, A Heissel⁵, S Heinzel⁷

Affiliations

¹ Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
³ Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
⁴ Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
⁵ Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
⁷ Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Institute of Psychology, Department of Educational Sciences and Psychology, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany.

PMID: 39638060
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.12.016

Abstract

Background: Deficits in working memory (WM) are common in patients with Major Depression Disorder (MDD). Previous research mainly in healthy adults indicated that physical exercise training may improve cognitive functions by stimulating neuronal plasticity particularly in hippocampal structures. Thus, the goal of this functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) study was to examine alterations in neuronal activity during a WM task and to investigate changes in brain volume and functioning following a physical exercise training in patients with MDD with a specific focus on hippocampal structures.

Methods: 86 (39 female) MDD outpatients (average age 37.3), diagnosed by clinical psychologists, were randomly assigned to one of three groups for a 12-week intervention: High intensity exercise training (HEX), low intensity exercise training (LEX) or waiting list control group (WL). An n-back task (with WM loads of 0, 1, 2, and 3) during fMRI was conducted before and after interventions/waiting period.

Results: Both exercise groups showed better performance and shorter reaction times at higher WM loads after 12-weeks of physical exercise training. Specifically in the HEX, we found an improvement in physical fitness and an increase in neural activation in the left hippocampus as compared to the WL following the exercise training. Training-related structural volume changes in gray matter or hippocampus were not detected.

Conclusions: Our results partly support the hypothesis that physical exercise training positively affects WM functions by improving neuronal plasticity in hippocampal regions. Exercise training seems to be a promising intervention to improve deficient WM performance in patients with MDD.

Clinical trials registration name: Neurobiological correlates and mechanisms of the augmentation of psychotherapy with endurance exercise in mild to moderate depression - SPeED, http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=DRKS00008869, DRKS00008869.

Keywords: Depression; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Hippocampus; Major depressive disorder; Physical exercise training; Working memory.