title: Aerobic fitness and body mass index in individuals with schizophrenia: Implications for neurocognition and daily functioning.
abstract: Previous reports indicate that among healthy individuals low aerobic fitness (AF) and high body-mass index (BMI) predict poor neurocognition and daily-functioning. It is unknown whether these associations extend to disorders characterized by poor neurocognition, such as schizophrenia. Therefore, we compared AF and BMI in individuals with schizophrenia and non-clinical controls, and then within the schizophrenia group we examined the links between AF, BMI, neurocognition and daily-functioning. Thirty-two individuals with schizophrenia and 64 gender- and age-matched controls completed assessments of AF (indexed by VO2max) and BMI. The former also completed measures of neurocognition, daily-functioning and physical activity. The schizophrenia group displayed significantly lower AF and higher BMI. In the schizophrenia group, AF was significantly correlated with overall neurocognition (r=0.57), along with executive functioning, working memory, social cognition, and processing speed. A hierarchical regression analysis indicated that AF accounted for 22% of the neurocognition variance. Furthermore, AF was significantly correlated with overall daily-functioning (r=0.46). In contrast, BMI displayed significant inverse correlations with neurocognition, but no associations to daily-functioning. AF was significantly correlated physical activity. The authors discuss the potential use of AF-enhancing interventions to improve neurocognitive and daily-functioning in schizophrenia, along with putative neurobiological mechanisms underlying these links, including Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: kimhyda@nyspi.columbia.edu.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kimhy
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vakhrusheva
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Bartels
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation & Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Hilary F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Jacob S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ballon
authors.affiliation: New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Samira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Marie C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Lindsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ayanruoh
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Edward E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA; Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Sloan
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Aerobic fitness; Body mass index; Daily functioning; Neurocognition; Schizophrenia