High aerobic intensity training and psychological States in patients with depression or schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
To explore changes in psychological states in response to a bout of high aerobic intensity training (HIT) in patients with depression or schizophrenia compared to healthy individuals.


METHODS
After familiarization training of HIT, 20 patients with schizophrenia, 13 patients with depression, and 20 healthy individuals performed a no-training day followed by a training day. HIT was 4 × 4 min intervals at 85-95% of peak heart rate, intermitted by 3 min active rest periods at 70% of peak heart rate. Self-evaluation questionnaires of positive affect, negative affect, state anxiety, well-being, distress, and fatigue were completed before training, 15 min after, and 3 h after training. The two latter measures were also completed the no-training day.


RESULTS
All three groups improved in positive affect and well-being 15 min after HIT (p < 0.01), but only patients with depression had maintained the effect after 3 h (p = 0.007, p = 0.012). The duration of the improved positive affect was longer in depression (p = 0.002) and schizophrenia (p = 0.025) than in healthy individuals (F 2.50 = 5.83, p < 0.01). Patients with depression or schizophrenia had reduced distress and state anxiety 15 min after HIT and 3 h after HIT (p < 0.05). The improvement in distress 15 min after HIT was larger in patients with depression (p = 0.028) compared to healthy individuals (F 2.50 = 5.05, p < 0.01). No changes were found during the no-training day (p > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
High aerobic intensity training used as an acute intervention improved positive affect and well-being and reduced distress and state anxiety in patients with depression and schizophrenia. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01310998.
Division of Psychiatry, Department of Østmarka, St. Olavs University Hospital , Trondheim , Norway ; Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology , Trondheim , Norway.
Jørn
J
Heggelund
Hamar District Psychiatric Centre, Innlandet Hospital Trust , Ottestad , Norway.
Kim Daniel
KD
Kleppe
Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology , Trondheim , Norway ; Division of Psychiatry, Department of Research and Development (AFFU), St. Olavs University Hospital , Trondheim , Norway.
Gunnar
G
Morken
Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology , Trondheim , Norway ; Division of Psychiatry, Department of Research and Development (AFFU), St. Olavs University Hospital , Trondheim , Norway.
Einar
E
Vedul-Kjelsås
affect; anxiety; exercise; intensity; transitory emotions