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The British Journal of Psychiatry (2002) 180: 411-415
© 2002 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Effects of exercise on depressive symptoms in older adults with poorly responsive depressive disorder

Randomised controlled trial

ANNE S. MATHER, BSc

Section of Ageing and Health, Department of Medicine, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee

CESAR RODRIGUEZ, MRCPsych, MOYRA F. GUTHRIE, MRCPsych, ANNE M. McHARG, FRCPsych and IAN C. REID, PhD

Department of Psychiatry, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee

MARION E. T. McMURDO, MD

Section of Ageing and Health, Department of Medicine, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee

Correspondence: Professor Marion E. T. McMurdo, Section of Ageing and Health, Department of Medicine, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DDI 9SY, UK. Tel: 01382 632436; fax: 01382 660675; e-mail m.e.t.mcmurdo{at}dundee.ac.uk

Declaration of interest M.E.T.M. is co-director of DD Developments, a University of Dundee company providing exercise classes for older people and whose profits support research into ageing.

Background Depression is common in later life.

Aims To determine whether exercise is effective as an adjunct to antidepressant therapy in reducing depressive symptoms in older people.

Method Patients were randomised to attend either exercise classes or health education talks for 10 weeks. Assessments were made ‘blind’ at baseline, and at 10 and 34 weeks. The primary outcome was seen with the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD). Secondary outcomes were seen with the Geriatric Depression Scale, Clinical Global Impression and Patient Global Impression.

Results At 10 weeks a significantly higher proportion of the exercise group (55% v. 33%) experienced a greater than 30% decline in depression according to HRSD (OR=2.51, P=0.05, 95% CI 1.00-6.38).

Conclusions Because exercise was associated with a modest improvement in depressive symptoms at 10 weeks, older people with poorly responsive depressive disorder should be encouraged to attend group exercise activities.


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