Effects of a 12-week running programme in youth and adults with complex mood disorders

Abstract

ObjectiveAlthough numerous studies suggest a salutary effect of exercise on mood, few studies have explored the effect of exercise in patients with complex mental illness. Accordingly, we evaluated the impact of running on stress, anxiety and depression in youth and adults with complex mood disorders including comorbid diagnoses, cognitive and social impairment and high relapse rates.MethodsParticipants were members of a running group at St Joseph Healthcare Hamilton’s Mood Disorders Program, designed for clients with complex mood disorders. On a weekly basis, participants completed Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) questionnaires, providing an opportunity to evaluate the effect of running in this population.ResultsData collected for 46 participants from April 2012 to July 2015 indicated a significant decrease in depression (p<0.0001), anxiety (p<0.0001) and stress (p=0.01) scores. Whereas younger participant age, younger age at onset of illness and higher perceived levels of friendship with other running group members (ps≤0.04) were associated with lower end-of-study depression, anxiety and stress scores, higher attendance was associated with decreasing BDI and BAI (ps≤0.01) scores over time.ConclusionsAerobic exercise in a supportive group setting may improve mood symptoms in youth and adults with complex mood disorders, and perceived social support may be an important factor in programme’s success. Further research is required to identify specifically the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic benefits associated with exercise-based therapy programmes.

Impact of a structured, group-based running programme on clinical, cognitive and social function in youth and adults with complex mood disorders: a 12-week pilot study

“…In the current study, we observed improvements in general health and all mental health HRQOL subscales, which is consistent with the literature 63–65. Further, the observed social functioning improvements build on our previously published finding of improved perceived friendship in an overlapping sample 29. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report positive changes across multiple functional outcomes in a complex psychiatric sample of patients with mood disorders who, at baseline testing, were unemployed and/or struggling with school, had experienced multiple past episodes of depression, and were not being managed effectively by medications.…”

“…Data were collected from 18 participants from August 2012 to December 2016 across 10 cohorts (see table 1). Although the youth group had an earlier age of onset and higher dropout rate than the adult group, previous analyses using a larger data set indicated no difference in youth compared with adult runners in terms of mood outcomes 29. Further, the rates of MDD and BD were similar in both groups (71.4% and 14.2% compared with 81.8% and 9.1% for adult and youth groups, respectively); therefore, the groups were analysed together.…”

“…This group-based programme aims to provide therapeutic benefit to youth and adults with mood disorders, typically recruiting patients with complex clinical histories that have responded poorly to traditional treatments. A chart-based review of this sample previously confirmed a positive effect of running on symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression 29. Here, we report on a subset of these individuals who participated in a prospective study that evaluated the impact of this structured running programme on (1) health-related quality of life (HRQOL), (2) neurocognitive function and (3) social functioning outcomes.…”

“…The running programme for this study has been described in detail previously 29. Briefly, the group met twice per week, alternating between walking and running.…”

A Scoping Review of the Relationship between Running and Mental Health

“…Keating et al [142] (11,186) = 2.3, p = 0.01) from baseline was observed. Following intervention, mean depression scores decreased by 39% in adults from high to low levels and by 27% in youths from moderate to reduced moderate levels.…”