Individualized treatment of depression with an exercise program based on cardiopulmonary exercise test indices

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K08048
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 52030:Psychiatry-related
• Research Institution: Yamaguchi University
• Principal Investigator: nakagawa shin 山口大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授 (60360905)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 山形 弘隆 山口大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (10549934) ; 陳 冲 山口大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 助教 (70783067)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: うつ病 / 運動療法 / 認知機能 / 意思決定 / 心肺運動負荷検査 / 個別化治療 / 補完療法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The amount of exercise was calculated according to the individual's cardiopulmonary capacity by CPX (Cardio-Pulmonary-Exercise Test). Aerobic rowing for 20 to 30 minutes twice a week at that amount of exercise were found to improve a moderate depression. We also examined the involvement of exercise in divergent and convergent thinking related to decision making, the top of executive functions that are inhibited by depression. In healthy subjects, they were found that ① 15 minutes of aerobic rowing enhanced divergent thinking, and ② among people with high-intensity regularly exercise, the amount of exercise increased both and fluency and flexibility in a divergent thinking, and ③ stair climbing enhanced novelty more than elevators.

Free Research Field

精神医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

うつ病に対する運動療法の有効性については今までにも述べられていた。しかし、運動負荷量が高く、運動頻度も多いために完遂できない割合が高かったのが問題であった。今回我々は従来よりも低負荷、低頻度の個別化された運動療法を用いて、うつ症状を改善させうることを示した。また、治療原理を説明しうる認知機能の変化を健常人ではあるが提示した。これらのことはうつ病の付加治療の一つとして運動療法を臨床現場で真に取り入れられる礎になったと思われる。