How exercise can reduce a depression and its brain fog symptom
A recent study from UCL in the UK indicates that exercise alleviates depression by enhancing motivation through reduced inflammation and improved dopamine function. This insight could pave the way for personalized exercise-based treatments.
The review emphasizes that aerobic exercise can address symptoms such as anhedonia and low energy in depression. Further large-scale trials are needed to test this theory and identify obstacles to exercise.
The key facts about depression and its brain fog symptom
- Exercise lowers inflammation and increases dopamine levels, which boosts motivation.
- Aerobic exercise is particularly effective in alleviating symptoms like anhedonia and low energy.
- Personalized exercise plans might emerge as a new therapeutic approach for depression.
UCL researchers have investigated the brain and body mechanisms by which physical exercise mitigates depressive symptoms.
Depression, the leading cause of disability worldwide, disrupts various brain and psychological processes, including learning and memory. While physical activity, particularly aerobic exercise, is known to reduce depressive symptoms, the underlying mechanisms have been poorly understood until now.
Understanding the antidepressant effects of exercise
In a recent review published in Translational Psychiatry, researchers introduce a new hypothesis to explain the antidepressant effects of exercise. They suggest that these effects may be closely tied to motivation, which plays a crucial role in alleviating symptoms of depression, including anhedonia (lack of interest or joy), low energy, and ‘brain fog.’
The team reviewed studies on depression mechanisms in both humans and animals, finding that depression, particularly anhedonia, is linked to increased inflammation from the body’s immune response.
Additionally, inflammation is associated with disrupted dopamine transmission, which may contribute to reduced motivation and a decreased willingness to engage in physical or mental activities.
Exercise, by contrast, reduces inflammation, enhances dopamine function, and boosts motivation. The researchers propose that these effects may be key factors in how exercise alleviates depression.
The effects of exercise likely involve multiple biological and psychological processes
While randomized controlled trials have clearly shown the antidepressant effects of aerobic exercise, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This is partly because the effects likely involve multiple biological and psychological processes.
For instance, in addition to its benefits on inflammation, dopamine, and reward processing, exercise also reduces oxidative stress and enhances self-esteem and self-efficacy.
We propose that aerobic exercise—particularly activities that induce sweating and breathlessness—reduces inflammation and boosts dopamine transmission, which in turn increases the motivation to exert effort overall.
The insights into how exercise alleviates depression symptoms
The team hopes that their insights into how exercise alleviates depression symptoms will guide the development of new treatment approaches, such as personalized exercise programs.
Understanding the mechanisms behind the antidepressant effects of physical activity could also shed light on the underlying causes of depression and lead to innovative intervention strategies, including personalized and social prescribing approaches.
To further validate their hypothesis, the researchers recommend conducting large randomized controlled trials to evaluate the antidepressant effects of exercise while also measuring variables such as inflammation, dopamine transmission, and motivation.
Investigating potential barriers to exercise is also crucial. Addressing these barriers, especially for individuals with depression, is important since regular physical activity can relieve symptoms, improve mood, and support recovery. Identifying strategies to encourage exercise is a key component of this effort.
The team is currently conducting a trial based on this hypothesis, involving 250 participants aged 18 to 60, and is funded by a Wellcome Mental Health Award.
How exercise can reduce a depression or brain fog conclusion
Depression is the leading cause of disability globally, significantly impacting the quality of life for those affected.
The condition disrupts several interconnected neural and cognitive processes, including dopamine transmission, fronto-striatal brain activity and connectivity, reward processing, and motivation. While physical activity, particularly aerobic exercise, is known to alleviate depressive symptoms, the precise mechanisms behind its antidepressant effects remain unclear.
Nevertheless, there is substantial evidence that aerobic exercise lowers systemic inflammation, which is known to impair dopamine transmission—a factor crucial for effort-based decision-making related to reward.
Gaining a deeper understanding of how exercise exerts its antidepressant effects could lead to the development of innovative intervention strategies, particularly personalized treatments and enhanced social prescribing approaches.
