Changes in Exercise Performance in Patients During a 6-Week Inpatient Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program and...

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Clinical Psychology
• Psychiatric Rehabilitation

Background:

• Exercise positively impacts affective disorders, but its effect on performance metrics is understudied.
• Limited data exist on exercise performance changes during psychiatric rehabilitation for depression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in exercise performance metrics in relation to depression symptom severity.
• To assess the impact of a 6-week inpatient psychiatric rehabilitation program on physical performance and mental health.

Main Methods:

• A pre-post within-subjects design was used with 53 individuals diagnosed with depression.
• Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) measured maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and maximal power output (Pmax).
• Depression severity was assessed using Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), with activity tracked via accelerometers.

Main Results:

• Significant reductions in BDI and BSI scores were observed post-rehabilitation (p < 0.001).
• Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and maximal power output (Pmax) significantly increased (p < 0.001).
• Improvements in physical performance predicted enhanced BDI scores (R2 = 0.104, p = 0.022).

Conclusions:

• The rehabilitation program improved mental health and physical performance in most patients.
• While performance increases were modest, they correlated with reduced depression symptoms.
• Individualized exercise programs are recommended to maximize benefits for depression and comorbidities.