Clinical Question:
Do aerobic exercise improve quality of life in old age patients with mood
disorder?
Bottom Line:
The data suggest that an aerobic exercise program at VT-1 intensity suffices
to promote favorable modifications in depressive and anxiety scores to
improve the quality of life in seniors.
Reference:
Depression, anxiety and quality of life scores in seniors after an endurance
exercise program.Antunes HK, Stella SG, Santos RF, Bueno OF, Mello MT.Rev
Bras Psiquiatr. 2005 Dec;27(4):266-271.
Synopsis:
Mood disorders are a frequent problem in old age, and their symptoms
constitute an important public health issue. These alterations affect the
quality of life mainly by restricting social life. The participation in a
regular exercise program is an effective way of reducing or preventing the
functional decline associated with aging. The aim of the present study was
to examine the effects of fitness-endurance activity (at the intensity of
Ventilatory Threshold 1 (VT-1)) in depression, anxiety and quality of life
scores in seniors. The study involved 46 sedentary seniors aged 60-75 (66.97
+/- 4.80) who were randomly allocated to two groups: 1) Control group, which
was neither asked to vary their everyday activities nor to join a regular
physical fitness program; and 2) Experimental group, whose members took part
in an aerobic fitness program consisting of ergometer cycle sessions 3 times
a week on alternate days for six months working at a heart rate
corresponding to ventilatory threshold (VT-1) intensity. Subjects were
submitted to a basal evaluation using the geriatric depression screening
scale - GDS, STAI trait/state (anxiety scale) and SF-36 (quality of life
scale). Comparing the groups after the study period, we found a significant
decrease in depressive and anxiety scores and an improvement in the quality
of life in the experimental group, but no significant changes in the control
group. |