Exploring the Effect of Exercise in Assisting the Treatment of Depression
Abstract
Depression is a prevalent mood disorder that significantly impairs the quality of life for those affected. Studies have indicated that exercise offers significant benefits in the treatment of depression. Exercise not only ameliorates the emotional state, self-perception, and sleep quality of individuals with depression but also facilitates the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which play a regulatory role in mood and enhance the capacity of patients to combat depression, thereby assisting in treatment. Among these neurotransmitters, serotonin is considered the most critical. This study aims to investigate the effect of exercise in adjunctive therapy by examining the mechanism of serotonin in treating depression and the influence of exercise therapy on serotonin levels. Findings suggest that exercise therapy has a substantial effect on serotonin levels and can serve as an adjunctive treatment for depression. As an adjunctive treatment, exercise therapy can reduce treatment costs and provide a therapeutic option for patients who cannot undergo pharmacological treatment. Additionally, as a non-pharmacological treatment method, exercise holds significant meaning for the treatment of depression and warrants further promotion and application in clinical practice.
References
- Zhai, Y., & Li, L. (2021). The impact of exercise therapy combined with rTMS on the expression of serum neurotransmitters and cognitive function in patients with depression. [J] Journal of Henan Medical College, 33(05), 527-530.
- Li, S., Yi, X., & Cai, R. (2021). The intervention effect of exercise training on female patients with depression and its impact on serum estrogen levels. [J] Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 20(19), 2126-2129.
- Qin, X. Y., Shan, Q. H., Fang, H., Wang, Y., Chen, P., Xiong, Z. Q., Swaab, D. F., & Zhou, J. N. (2021). Upregulation of PSD-93 enhances the synaptic activity of parvocellular neurosecretory neurons containing corticotropin-releasing hormone in depression. [J] Acta Neuropathologica, 142(6), 1045-1064. doi: 10.1007/s00401-021-02371-7. Epub 2021 Sep 18. PMID: 34536123.
- Mol Psychiatry. A must-read review for depression research: Summarizing the six molecular mechanisms of depression from a synaptic perspective. http://www.medsci.cn
- Han, Y., Liu, X., Xiang, H., et al. (2020). Recent advances in clinical research on exercise therapy for depression. [J] Physical Education and Research, 35(05), 85-90. DOI: 10.16207/j.cnki.2095-235x.2020.05.016.
- Liu, H., & Luo, Q. (2024). Advances in the pathogenesis and treatment research of adolescent depression. [J] The Big Doctor, 9(03), 141-144.
- Huang, X., Wu, J., & Lin, W. (2015). Current status and prospects of serotonin research on athletes' emotions. [J] Journal of Guangzhou Sport University, 35(06), 90-93. DOI: 10.13830/j.cnki.cn44-1129/g8.2015.06.023.
- Liu, C. (2021). The regulatory mechanism of serotonin on emotional processing. University of Electronic Science and Technology. DOI: 10.27005/d.cnki.gdzku.2021.000074.
- Li, H., Wang, H., Zhao, W., et al. (2023). Advances in the inflammatory mechanism of exercise therapy for depression. Neural Disease and Mental Health, 23(07), 478-482.
- Kim, T. W., Lim, B. V., Baek, D., Ryu, D. S., & Seo, J. H. (2015). Aerobic exercise alleviates stress-induced depression by upregulating the serotonin 1A receptor in rats. [J] International Journal of Neuroscience, 19(1), 27-33. doi: 10.5213/inj.2015.19.1.27. Epub 2015 Mar 26. PMID: 25833478; PMCID: PMC4386483.
- Zhou, Y., & Ji, Z. (2023). The interventional effect of exercise on depression. [J] Contemporary Sports Science and Technology, 13(34), 189-193+198. DOI: 10.16655/j.cnki.2095-2813.2023.34.050.