NCT06166095

Dose-Response Effect Exercise and Depression

Dose-Response Effect of Exercise on Depression and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in Sedentary Young Adults

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 48 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Central Florida · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 25 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The present study aims to address gaps in the literature by evaluating the objectively measured dose-response relationship between exercise and depression symptoms; examining changes in resting (Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor) BDNF from baseline to week 10 of an exercise intervention; and assessing varying exercise intensities on enjoyment, affect, and health-related quality of life in sedentary young adult college students.

Detailed description

This 10-week randomized single-blind controlled trial will consist of an exercise intervention and attention control condition. A two-week familiarity trial period will be followed by 8 weeks of structured exercise. Objectively measured physical activity will be remotely monitored via Fitbit to examine its effect on depressive symptoms in sedentary young adult college students. Approximately 48 enrolled college students ages 18 - 25 will be recruited for the proposed study and randomized with a 1:1:1 allocation to one of the following conditions: 1. high-dose (HD) moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (n=16) 2. moderate-dose (MD moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (n=16) 3. a walking (W) attention control (n=16)

Conditions

• Depression

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	high-dose	Participants will be asked to perform a high-dose (HD) (i.e., 300 minutes of MVPA per week) of structured exercise for 10 weeks. Exercise modality and schedule will be participant- selected and may consist of any combination of aerobic and strength training that elevates the heart rate between 64 - 95 percent of estimated heart rate max
OTHER	Walking attention control	The attention control group will be asked to wear the Fitbit activity tracker to monitor their sleep each night for 10 weeks.
OTHER	moderate-dose	Participants will be asked to perform a moderate-dose (MD) (i.e., 150 minutes of MVPA per week) of structured exercise for 10 weeks. Exercise modality and schedule will be participant- selected and may consist of any combination of aerobic and strength training that elevates the heart rate between 64 - 95 percent of estimated heart rate max

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-07-01
• Primary completion: 2024-12-01
• Completion: 2024-12-01
• First posted: 2023-12-12
• Last updated: 2025-03-27

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States