NCT05695365

Feasibility of Resistance Exercise to Treat Major Depression Via Cerebrovascular Mechanisms

Feasibility of Resistance Exercise to Treat Major Depression Via Cerebrovascular Mechanisms: A Pilot Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 9 (actual)
• Sponsor: Iowa State University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This project is a single-arm pilot trial to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and plausible efficacy of a 16-week resistance exercise training (RET) program for treatment of major depressive disorder.

Detailed description

Resistance exercise training (RET) is a promising but understudied approach for treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility of recruiting eligible participants, enrolling them into the study, and retaining them across 16 weeks of resistance exercise training (RET) twice per week for treatment of depression. The primary aim of this study is to determine the feasibility (i.e., recruitment and enrollment rates) and acceptability (i.e., adherence rate, retention rate, and participant satisfaction) of running a larger study that would evaluate the efficacy of RET for treating Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Secondary aims are to implement and examine the utility of theory-informed adherence strategies (i.e.,exercise preparation habit development and ratings, commitment contracts, and intrinsic motivation reflections) for promoting adherence to exercise sessions, explore efficacy of RET for treating MDD, and explore cerebrovascular function as a potential mechanism of RET's treatment of depression. As such, investigators will recruit 10 individuals with diagnosed MDD (via the Structured Clinical Interview for Depression) and enroll participants in a 16-week RET program. Assessments of depression, cerebrovascular functioning, physical activity, and health will be completed at weeks 0, 8, 16, with a 26-week follow-up.

Conditions

• Major Depressive Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Resistance Exercise Training	Participants will complete a 16-week, twice/week supervised resistance exercise training program to increase strength. Each session will last \~60 minutes and begin and end with a 5-minute aerobic warm-up/cool-down on a cycle ergometer, elliptical, treadmill, or walked laps. Training will begin with a 1-week standard familiarization process to introduce participants to the machines, teach correct lifting techniques, and ensure participant safety and comfort with each exercise machine. Participants will perform 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions on 10 Keiser resistance machines (i.e., leg press, hamstring curl, quadriceps extension, chest press, lat pulldown, shoulder press, biceps curl, triceps extension, abdominal crunch), with a 1-minute rest time between each set. Workload will begin at 50% of the estimated 1-RMs and increase by 5-10% after any session in which a participant completes 12 repetitions in all 3 sets. The workload will be tailored based on progressive increases in strength.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-04-04
• Primary completion: 2022-11-11
• Completion: 2023-01-10
• First posted: 2023-01-25
• Last updated: 2024-03-05

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States