title: Effects of additional exercise training on epicardial, intra-abdominal and subcutaneous adipose tissue in major depressive disorder: A randomized pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with increased amounts of intra-abdominal and epicardial adipose tissue, risk factors for the development of cardio-metabolic disorders. Exercise has been shown to reduce intra-abdominal fat in different conditions such as obesity and diabetes mellitus, thereby reducing cardio-metabolic risks. Therefore we examined the effects of exercise on adipose tissue compartments in patients with MDD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of thirty depressed patients included, twenty received supervised exercise training, and ten received no specific training. Volumes of subcutaneous, intra-abdominal and epicardial adipose tissue were measured using magnetic resonance imaging, and factors constituting the metabolic syndrome were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant effects of the training condition were observed on the amount of epicardial adipose tissue (P=0.017), subcutaneous adipose tissue (P=0.023), weight (P=0.047), body-mass index (P=0.04), high density lipoproteins (P=0.021) and the number of metabolic syndrome factors (P=0.018). The amount of intra-abdominal adipose tissue decreased slightly, although not significantly, in the exercise group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exercise training reduces the amount of visceral, in particular epicardial adipose tissue, in patients with MDD, and ameliorates factors constituting the metabolic syndrome. Given the high prevalence of cardio-metabolic disorders in major depression, exercise training may be recommended as an additional treatment component.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Carl-Neuberg. Street 1, Hannover, Germany; Department of Neurology, MHH, Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: kahl.kai@mh-hannover.de.
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Kahl
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, MHH, Hannover, Germany; Institute of Sports Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Street 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kerling
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, MHH, Hannover, Germany; Institute of Sports Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Street 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tegtbur
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, MHH, Hannover, Germany; Institute of Sports Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Street 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gützlaff
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Carl-Neuberg. Street 1, Hannover, Germany; Department of Neurology, MHH, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Carl-Neuberg. Street 1, Hannover, Germany; Department of Neurology, MHH, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Borchert
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Carl-Neuberg. Street 1, Hannover, Germany; Department of Neurology, MHH, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ates
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, MHH, Hannover, Germany; Dep. of Cardiology and Angiology, MHH, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Westhoff-Bleck
authors.affiliation: Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, MHH, Hannover, Germany; Department of Neurology, MHH, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hueper
authors.affiliation: Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, MHH, Hannover, Germany; Department of Neurology, MHH, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hartung
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010496:Pericardium / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012307:Risk Factors; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Cardio-vascular diseases; Depression; Epicardial adipose tissue; Intra-abdominal adipose tissue; Physical exercise; metabolic syndrome