Massa Nicholas, Alrohaibani Alaaeddin, Mammino Kevin, Bello Medina, Taylor Nicholas, Cuthbert Bruce, Fargotstein Molly, Coulter Monica M, Boatright Jeffery H, Nocera Joe, Duncan Erica
Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Decatur, GA, USA.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Brain Plast. 2020 Oct 1;5(2):161-174. doi: 10.3233/BPL-200105.
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a severe, chronic illness characterized by psychotic symptoms and impairments in many cognitive domains. Dysregulation of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is associated with the cognitive impairments seen in patients with SCZ. Given the growing literature supporting a positive effect of aerobic exercise on cognition in other populations, we hypothesized that a structured aerobic exercise program would improve cognitive and functional outcomes in subjects with SCZ, potentially mediated by increases in BDNF.
The study was a small randomized parallel group clinical trial of subjects with SCZ comparing 12 weeks of aerobic exercise (AE) against control (CON) stretching and balance training. At Baseline, Week 12, and Week 20 we collected serum samples for analysis of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and assessed functional, physical, and cognitive outcomes. Linear regression models were used to compare change scores between timepoints.
We randomized 21 subjects to AE and 17 to CON; however, only 9 AE and 6 CON completed their programs. Subjects in both groups were slower at the 400 m walk in Week 12 compared to Baseline, but the AE group had significantly less slowing than the CON group (B = -28.32, = 0.011). Between Week 12 and Week 20, the AE group had a significantly greater change score on the Composite and Visual Learning Domain of the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (B = 5.11, = 0.03; B = 13.96, = 0.006).
These results indicate that participation in a structured aerobic exercise paradigm may modestly blunt physical function decline and enhance cognitive function in individuals with SCZ.
精神分裂症（SCZ）是一种严重的慢性疾病，其特征为出现精神病性症状以及在多个认知领域存在功能障碍。脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）失调与SCZ患者的认知功能障碍有关。鉴于越来越多的文献支持有氧运动对其他人群认知功能有积极影响，我们推测一项结构化的有氧运动计划将改善SCZ患者的认知和功能结局，这可能是由BDNF水平升高介导的。
本研究是一项针对SCZ患者的小型随机平行组临床试验，将12周的有氧运动（AE）与对照（CON）组的伸展和平衡训练进行比较。在基线、第12周和第20周，我们采集血清样本以分析脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF），并评估功能、身体和认知结局。使用线性回归模型比较各时间点之间的变化分数。
我们将21名受试者随机分为AE组，17名受试者随机分为CON组；然而，只有9名AE组和6名CON组受试者完成了他们的训练计划。与基线相比，两组受试者在第12周的400米步行速度均较慢，但AE组的速度减慢明显低于CON组（B = -28.32，P = 0.011）。在第12周和第20周之间，AE组在MATRICS共识认知量表的综合和视觉学习领域的变化分数显著更高（B = 5.11，P = 0.03；B = 13.96，P = 0.006）。
这些结果表明，参与结构化的有氧运动模式可能会适度减缓SCZ患者的身体功能下降，并增强其认知功能。
