Resistance Exercise to Treat Major Depression Via Cerebrovascular Mechanisms: Confirming Efficacy and Informing Precision Medicine
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Summary
Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and current treatments are ineffective for many people. This trial will investigate the efficacy of a 16-week high vs low dose resistance exercise training program for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in 200 adults.
Description
Frontline treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD), including psycho- and pharmacotherapy, have limited effectiveness, and there is a critical need to develop and test novel, efficacious treatments for MDD and simultaneously work to optimize its benefits. Resistance exercise training (RET) is a promising but understudied treatment approach. This trial will investigate the efficacy of RET for treatment of MDD in a 1:1 randomized controlled trial (n=200) of 16 weeks of high vs low progressive RET in adults with DSM-5 diagnosed MDD. Further, this project will explore potential mechanisms le…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Be diagnosed with DSM-5 MDD, confirmed via Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID). * Have current depressive symptoms of at least mild severity defined by the Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression 17 greater than or equal to 8 (HAMD; using the GRID-HAMD evaluated by trained, masked raters) * Be ages 18-65 * EITHER not taking any mental health medications or seeking other mental health treatment (e.g., behavioral, psychological) OR be on a stable mental health medication and/or treatment regimen for the past 8 weeks, and intend to maintain that regimen for the durat…
Interventions
- BehavioralHigh Dose Resistance Exercise Training
Progressive resistance exercise training
- BehavioralLow Dose Resistance Exercise Training Group
Progressive resistance exercise training
Locations (2)
- Iowa State UniversityAmes, Iowa
- University of Wisconsin - MadisonMadison, Wisconsin