Exercise as an add-on treatment in individuals with schizophrenia: results from a large multicenter randomized controlled trial

  • Current treatment methods do not achieve recovery for most individuals with schizophrenia, and symptoms such as negative symptoms and cognitive deficits often persist. Aerobic endurance training has been suggested as a potential add-on treatment targeting both physical and mental health. We performed a large-scale multicenter, rater-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled clinical trial in individuals with stable schizophrenia. Participants underwent a professionally supervised six-month training comprising either aerobic endurance training (AET) or flexibility, strengthening, and balance training (FSBT, control group), follow-up was another six months. The primary endpoint was all-cause discontinuation (ACD); secondary endpoints included effects on psychopathology, cognition, functioning, and cardiovascular risk. In total, 180 participants were randomized. AET was not superior to FSBT in ACD and most secondary outcomes, with dropout rates of 59.55% and 57.14% in the six-monthCurrent treatment methods do not achieve recovery for most individuals with schizophrenia, and symptoms such as negative symptoms and cognitive deficits often persist. Aerobic endurance training has been suggested as a potential add-on treatment targeting both physical and mental health. We performed a large-scale multicenter, rater-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled clinical trial in individuals with stable schizophrenia. Participants underwent a professionally supervised six-month training comprising either aerobic endurance training (AET) or flexibility, strengthening, and balance training (FSBT, control group), follow-up was another six months. The primary endpoint was all-cause discontinuation (ACD); secondary endpoints included effects on psychopathology, cognition, functioning, and cardiovascular risk. In total, 180 participants were randomized. AET was not superior to FSBT in ACD and most secondary outcomes, with dropout rates of 59.55% and 57.14% in the six-month active phase, respectively. However, both groups showed significant improvements in positive, general, and total symptoms, levels of functioning and in cognitive performance. A higher training frequency additionally promoted further memory domains. Participants with higher baseline cognitive abilities were more likely to respond to the interventions. Our results support integrating exercise into schizophrenia treatment, while future studies should aim to develop personalized training recommendations to maximize exercise-induced benefits.show moreshow less

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Metadaten
Author:Isabel Maurus, Lukas Roell, Moritz Lembeck, Irina PapazovaGND, David Greska, Susanne Muenz, Elias WagnerGND, Mattia Campana, Rebecca Schwaiger, Thomas Schneider-Axmann, Kerstin Rosenberger, Martin Hellmich, Eliska Sykorova, Cristina E. Thieme, Bob O. Vogel, Carolin Harder, Sebastian Mohnke, Charlotte Huppertz, Astrid Roeh, Katriona Keller-Varady, Berend Malchow, Henrik Walter, Bernd Wolfarth, Wolfgang Wölwer, Karsten Henkel, Dusan Hirjak, Andrea Schmitt, Alkomiet HasanORCiDGND, Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, Peter Falkai
URN:urn:nbn:de:bvb:384-opus4-1079086
Frontdoor URLhttps://opus.bibliothek.uni-augsburg.de/opus4/107908
ISSN:0165-1781OPAC
Parent Title (English):Psychiatry Research
Publisher:Elsevier BV
Type:Article
Language:English
Date of first Publication:2023/09/10
Publishing Institution:Universität Augsburg
Release Date:2023/09/22
Tag:Biological Psychiatry; Psychiatry and Mental health
Volume:328
First Page:115480
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115480
Institutes:Medizinische Fakultät
Medizinische Fakultät / Lehrstuhl für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie
Medizinische Fakultät / Professur für Evidenzbasierte Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie
Dewey Decimal Classification:6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 61 Medizin und Gesundheit / 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
Licence (German):CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0: Creative Commons: Namensnennung - Nicht kommerziell - Keine Bearbeitung (mit Print on Demand)