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Can regular physical exercise be a treatment for panic disorder? A systematic review
Sergio Machado1,2,3, George Telles4, Franklin Magalhaes4
1Department of Sports Methods and Techniques, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil.
Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics
|January 25, 2022
Summary
Regular exercise shows promise for managing panic disorder (PD) symptoms. While it effectively improves global anxiety and depression, evidence for reducing panic severity is currently unclear.
Area of Science:
- Exercise physiology
- Clinical psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Exercise is increasingly recognized as a potential non-pharmacological intervention for panic disorder (PD).
- Patients with PD often experience significant panic, anxiety, and depressive symptoms that impact quality of life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the existing literature on the effects of regular exercise interventions on panic severity, global anxiety, and depression in patients with PD.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted across major databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane).
- Eight randomized controlled trials investigating exercise interventions for PD were included in the review.
- Studies varied in their exercise program characteristics, including frequency, duration, and intensity.
Main Results:
- Current evidence does not clearly demonstrate that regular exercise programs (e.g., ≥2 sessions/week for ≥6 weeks) reduce panic-related symptoms.
- Regular exercise interventions were found to be effective in improving global anxiety measures.
- Exercise was also effective in reducing symptoms of depression among patients with PD.
Conclusions:
- Continuous aerobic exercise is the predominant intervention type, often with limited prescription details.
- Interval training with intense, shorter stimuli and longer trial durations is suggested for future research.
- While self-selected intensities and internal load control may enhance adherence, cautious prescription is advised due to limited evidence.
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