Exercise as an intervention for first-episode psychosis: a feasibility study

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Exercise Science
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Exercise is known to benefit schizophrenia patients.
• Its effects on early psychosis are less understood.
• Early intervention is crucial for psychosis management.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess the feasibility of an exercise intervention for early psychosis.
• Determine exercise's impact on physical and mental health in first-episode psychosis (FEP).

Main Methods:

• Recruited 31 FEP patients for a 10-week individualized exercise program.
• Intervention group aimed for ≥90 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous activity.
• A comparison group (n=7) received treatment as usual.

Main Results:

• High feasibility: 94% consent, 81% retention.
• Participants averaged 107 min/week of exercise.
• Significant reduction in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale scores (P=0.010), especially negative symptoms (-33%, P=0.013).
• Improvements in psychosocial functioning and verbal short-term memory.
• Cardiovascular fitness and processing speed increases correlated with exercise amount.

Conclusions:

• Individualized exercise is a feasible treatment for FEP.
• Improves symptomatic, neurocognitive, and metabolic outcomes.
• Offers a promising avenue for early psychosis intervention.