Summary: According to a new study, aerobic exercise can help improve brain function in people with schizophrenia.
Source: University of Manchester.
Aerobic exercise can significantly help people coping with the long-term mental health condition schizophrenia, according to a new study from University of Manchester researchers.
Through combining data from 10 independent clinical trials with a total of 385 patients with schizophrenia, Joseph Firth found that around 12 weeks of aerobic exercise training can significant improve patients’ brain functioning.
The study by Firth, Dr Brendon Stubbs and Professor Alison Yung is published in Schizophrenia Bulletin, the world’s leading journal on Schizophrenia and one of leading periodicals in Psychiatry.
Schizophrenia’s acute phase is typified by hallucinations and delusions, which are usually treatable with medication.
However, most patients are still troubled with pervasive ‘cognitive deficits’; including poor memory, impaired information processing and loss of concentration.
The research showed that patients who are treated with aerobic exercise programs, such as treadmills and exercise bikes, in combination with their medication, will improve their overall brain functioning more than those treated with medications alone.
The areas which were most improved by exercising were patients’ ability to understand social situations, their attention spans, and their ‘working memory’ – or how much information they can hold in mind at one time.
There was also evidence among the studies that programs which used greater amounts of exercise, and those which were most successful for improving fitness, had the greatest effects on cognitive functioning.
Joe Firth said: “Cognitive deficits are one aspect of schizophrenia which is particularly problematic.
“They hinder recovery and impact negatively upon people’s ability to function in work and social situations. Furthermore, current medications for schizophrenia do not treat the cognitive deficits of the disorder.
“We are searching for new ways to treat these aspects of the illness, and now research is increasingly suggesting that physical exercise can provide a solution.”
He added: “These findings present the first large-scale evidence supporting the use of physical exercise to treat the neurocognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia.
“Using exercise from the earliest stages of the illness could reduce the likelihood of long-term disability, and facilitate full, functional recovery for patients.”
Source: Jamie Brown – University of Manchester
Image Source: This NeuroscienceNews.com image is in the public domain.
Original Research: Full open access research for “Aerobic Exercise Improves Cognitive Functioning in People With Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” by Joseph Firth, Brendon Stubbs, Simon Rosenbaum, Davy Vancampfort, Berend Malchow, Felipe Schuch, Rebecca Elliott, Keith H. Nuechterlein, and Alison R. Yung in Schizophrenia Bulletin. Published online August 11 2016 doi:10.1093/schbul/sbw115
[cbtabs][cbtab title=”MLA”]University of Manchester. “Exercise May Help Tackle Symptoms of Schizophrenia.” NeuroscienceNews. NeuroscienceNews, 12 August 2016.
<https://neurosciencenews.com/exercise-schizophrenia-neuroscience-4837/>.[/cbtab][cbtab title=”APA”]University of Manchester. (2016, August 12). Exercise May Help Tackle Symptoms of Schizophrenia. NeuroscienceNews. Retrieved August 12, 2016 from https://neurosciencenews.com/exercise-schizophrenia-neuroscience-4837/[/cbtab][cbtab title=”Chicago”]University of Manchester. “Exercise May Help Tackle Symptoms of Schizophrenia.” https://neurosciencenews.com/exercise-schizophrenia-neuroscience-4837/ (accessed August 12, 2016).[/cbtab][/cbtabs]
Abstract
Aerobic Exercise Improves Cognitive Functioning in People With Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Cognitive deficits are pervasive among people with schizophrenia and treatment options are limited. There has been an increased interest in the neurocognitive benefits of exercise, but a comprehensive evaluation of studies to date is lacking. We therefore conducted a meta-analysis of all controlled trials investigating the cognitive outcomes of exercise interventions in schizophrenia. Studies were identified from a systematic search across major electronic databases from inception to April 2016. Meta-analyses were used to calculate pooled effect sizes (Hedges g) and 95% CIs. We identified 10 eligible trials with cognitive outcome data for 385 patients with schizophrenia. Exercise significantly improved global cognition (g = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.13–0.53, P = .001) with no statistical heterogeneity (I 2 = 0%). The effect size in the 7 studies which were randomized controlled trials was g = 0.43 (P < .001). Meta-regression analyses indicated that greater amounts of exercise are associated with larger improvements in global cognition (β = .005, P = .065). Interventions which were supervised by physical activity professionals were also more effective (g = 0.47, P < .001). Exercise significantly improved the cognitive domains of working memory (g = 0.39, P = .024, N = 7, n = 282), social cognition (g = 0.71, P = .002, N = 3, n = 81), and attention/vigilance (g = 0.66, P = .005, N = 3, n = 104). Effects on processing speed, verbal memory, visual memory and reasoning and problem solving were not significant. This meta-analysis provides evidence that exercise can improve cognitive functioning among people with schizophrenia, particularly from interventions using higher dosages of exercise. Given the challenges in improving cognition, and the wider health benefits of exercise, a greater focus on providing supervised exercise to people with schizophrenia is needed.
“Aerobic Exercise Improves Cognitive Functioning in People With Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” by Joseph Firth, Brendon Stubbs, Simon Rosenbaum, Davy Vancampfort, Berend Malchow, Felipe Schuch, Rebecca Elliott, Keith H. Nuechterlein, and Alison R. Yung in Schizophrenia Bulletin. Published online August 11 2016 doi:10.1093/schbul/sbw115
