Department of Health Sciences and Research, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC.
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019 Aug;51(8):1698-1709. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001969.
Aerobic exercise (AEx) exerts antidepressant effects, although the neurobiological mechanisms underlying such effects are not well understood. Reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and elevated cortisol have been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression and appear to normalize with antidepressant treatment. Thus, BDNF and cortisol may serve as biological targets for developing AEx as an antidepressant treatment.
This study examined the effects of AEx, of different intensities, on serum BDNF and cortisol in individuals with and without depression.
Thirteen participants with depression (10 females; age = 27.2 ± 6.9 yr; Montgomery-Äsberg Depression Rating Scale = 21.7 ± 4.7) and 13 control participants (10 females; age 27.2 ± 7.2 yr; Montgomery-Äsberg Depression Rating Scale = 0.5 ± 0.9) participated. Experimental visits consisted of 15 min of low-intensity cycling (LO) at 35% heart rate reserve, high-intensity cycling (HI) at 70% heart rate reserve, or sitting (CON). During each visit, blood samples were obtained at baseline, immediately postexercise (IP), and then every 15 min postexercise for 1 h (15P, 30P, 45P, and 60P). Group, condition, and time differences in BDNF and cortisol were assessed.
There were no group differences in cortisol and BDNF. Secondary analysis revealed that BDNF increased in an intensity-dependent nature at IP, and cortisol was significantly elevated at 15P after HI. Changes in BDNF and cortisol showed significant linear relationships with changes in HR.
HI AEx can elicit acute, transient increases in BDNF and cortisol in young, healthy, and physically active, nondepressed and mild to moderately depressed individuals. This work suggests that AEx has potential to significantly affect the central nervous system function, and the magnitude of such effect may be directly driven by exercise intensity.
有氧运动（AEx）具有抗抑郁作用，尽管其作用的神经生物学机制尚不清楚。脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）减少和皮质醇升高与抑郁症的病理生理学有关，并且似乎随着抗抑郁治疗而正常化。因此，BDNF 和皮质醇可以作为开发 AEx 作为抗抑郁治疗的生物靶标。
本研究检查了不同强度的 AEx 对有和没有抑郁症的个体血清 BDNF 和皮质醇的影响。
13 名患有抑郁症的参与者（10 名女性；年龄=27.2±6.9 岁；蒙哥马利-阿斯伯格抑郁评定量表=21.7±4.7）和 13 名对照参与者（10 名女性；年龄 27.2±7.2 岁；蒙哥马利-阿斯伯格抑郁评定量表=0.5±0.9）参加了实验。实验访问包括 15 分钟的低强度骑行（LO），心率储备的 35%，高强度骑行（HI），心率储备的 70%，或坐姿（CON）。在每次访问中，在基线、运动后即刻（IP）和运动后 1 小时内每隔 15 分钟（15P、30P、45P 和 60P）采集血液样本。评估了 BDNF 和皮质醇的组、条件和时间差异。
皮质醇和 BDNF 在组间没有差异。二次分析显示，BDNF 在 IP 时呈强度依赖性增加，而 HI 后 15P 时皮质醇显著升高。BDNF 和皮质醇的变化与 HR 的变化呈显著线性关系。
HI AEx 可以在年轻、健康、活跃、无抑郁和轻度至中度抑郁的个体中引起急性、短暂的 BDNF 和皮质醇增加。这项工作表明，AEx 有可能显著影响中枢神经系统功能，而这种影响的幅度可能直接由运动强度驱动。
