title: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and aerobic exercise training (AET) increased plasma BDNF and ameliorated depressive symptoms in patients suffering from major depressive disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To treat patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD), research has focused on electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and aerobic exercise training (AET). Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) seems to be key in MDD. The aims of the present study were therefore two-fold, to investigate in a three-arm interventional study the differential effects of ECT, ECT plus AET, and AET alone in patients suffering from TR-MDD on 1. depressive symptoms and 2. plasma BDNF (pBDNF).
  
  
  METHODS
  60 patients with MDD (mean age: 31 years; 31.6% female patients) were randomly assigned either to the ECT, ECT + AET, or AET condition. The AET condition consisted of treadmill exercise for 45 min, three times a week. Both depression severity and pBDNF levels were assessed at baseline and 4 weeks later. All patients were further treated with an SSRI standard medication.
  
  
  RESULTS
  pBDNF levels increased over time in all three study conditions, though, highest increase was observed in the ECT + EAT condition, and lowest increase was observed in the AET condition. Depressive symptoms decreased in all three conditions over time, though, strongest decrease was observed in the ECT + AET condition. The combination of ECT + AET led to significantly greater remission rates than in either the ECT or AET alone conditions. BDNF levels were not associated with symptoms of depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pattern of results suggests that ECT, AET and particularly their combination are promising directions for the treatment of patients suffering from MDD, and that it remains unclear to what extent pBDNF is key and a reliable biomarker for MDD.
authors: Research Center For Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors: Iraj
authors: I
authors: Salehi
authors: Research Center For Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors: Seyed Mohammad
authors: SM
authors: Hosseini
authors: Research Center For Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors: Mohammad
authors: M
authors: Haghighi
authors: Research Center For Behavioral Disorders and Substances Abuse, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors: Leila
authors: L
authors: Jahangard
authors: Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Hafez
authors: H
authors: Bajoghli
authors: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Sport Science Section, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Gerber
authors: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Sport Science Section, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors: Uwe
authors: U
authors: Pühse
authors: Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel, Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders (ZASS), Basel, Switzerland.
authors: Edith
authors: E
authors: Holsboer-Trachsler
authors: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Sport Science Section, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel, Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders (ZASS), Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: serge.brand@upkbs.ch.
authors: Serge
authors: S
authors: Brand
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D057566:Self Report; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
keywords: Aerobic exercise training; Electroconvulsive therapy; Major depressive disorder; Plasma BDNF