Physical exercise is associated with multiple beneficial effects including metabolic fitness, mental wellbeing and cognitive performance. Moreover, a number of studies have demonstrated that physical exercise represents an effective intervention for psychiatric patients. However, the neurobiological underpinnings of the beneficial effects of physical exercise remain elusive. In the present symposium, we present the most recent studies investigating the role of genetics, brain structure and cognition in the context of exercise-based interventions.
Astrid Röh will present data about the interaction of the central vascular status with cognitive performance. The findings support the idea of a neuroplastic effect of exercise and indicate a pivotal role of the central vascular status in exercise-induced improvements of cognition.
Theresa Lichtenstein will present findings from a meta-analysis investigating different training approaches for patients with schizophrenia. The clinical efficacy of different types of physical exercise is compared and related to secondary outcome measures including cognition and psychosocial functioning.
Isabel Maurus will focus on findings regarding the associations between aerobic fitness, cognition and brain structure in patients with schizophrenia. Evidence on the clinical effects of a 6-month aerobic exercise training from the recently completed multicentre, randomised-controlled clinical trial “ESPRIT C3” will be presented.
Sergi Papiol will complete the symposium by addressing the role of genomics in the treatment effects of physical exercise. Specifically, the impact of polygenic risk on the effects of aerobic training on hippocampal brain structure will be addressed and how these effects can be related to specific brain cell types.
In summary, the present symposium will provide a comprehensive picture of the current evidence for interventions based on physical exercise and suggest important avenues for future research.
13:30 Uhr
The role of central vascular status for exercise-induced improvements of cognition
A. Röh (Augsburg, DE)
13:52 Uhr
The role of training intensity in exercise-based interventions for schizophrenia: a meta-analysis of effects on symptoms, cognition and cardio-metabolic health
T. Lichtenstein (Köln, DE)
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Autor:in:
T. Lichtenstein (Köln, DE)
Physical exercise is an important and effective complementary treatment option for patients with schizophrenia. While a clear consensus on the efficacy of physical exercise in this patient group is evident, the question arises about the most appropriate exercise modalities.
Major Databases were searched from 2010 to March 2022 for studies, which investigated any exercise intervention in patients with schizophrenia. Intensity of the interventions was classified into high, moderate and low. Primary outcomes were positive, negative, general psychotic, depressive symptoms, functioning scores, quality of life, VO2peak and the Body-Mass-Index. Different training modalities were examined using meta-regression concerning their influence on the intervention effect of each primary outcome.
Most of the 40 included studies carried out a training with moderate (n=17) or low (n=16), only 5 with high intensity. A significant improvement in depressivity, quality of life, functioning, negative, positive and general symptoms and VO2peak was found. Moderate training had significantly better effects on depressivity, positive and general symptoms than low intensity training. Unfortunately, not enough high intensity studies have been conducted to allow a meaningful conclusion regarding their effects. The impact on general symptoms, depression and quality of life was significantly affected by whether training intensity was controlled. Other training modalities that had a significant effect on training success were total duration of treatment, number of training sessions per week, completion rate and age of the participants.
The very positive effect of physical exercise on mental and physical health in patients with schizophrenia was confirmed. The effects of moderate training exceed low intensity approaches. Further studies with high training intensity are needed to clarify whether a further intensification of exercise can lead to even better results.
14:14 Uhr
Effects of exercise and fitness on symptoms and brain structure in people with schizophrenia
I. Maurus (München, DE)
14:36 Uhr
The role of genetic risk for training-induced changes of hippocampal structure in schizophrenia
S. Papiol (München, DE)
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Autor:innen:
S. Papiol (München, DE)
I. Maurus (DE)
A. Schmitt (DE)
P. Falkai (DE)
Several studies have demonstrated that physical exercise represents an effective intervention for patients with severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia. Recent findings have shown the specific effects of physical exercise on cognitive functions and brain structure in schizophrenia patients. Within this framework, some studies have investigated the role of genes in the beneficial effects of physical exercise.
This presentation will describe in first place current evidence based on genetic data of the potential protective effects of physical activity for the prevention of severe mental disorders. For this purpose, evidence derived from genetic studies in large cohorts and mendelian randomization approaches will be presented.
Secondly, results from genetic studies in cohorts of schizophrenia patients performing aerobic training will also be presented. Specifically, schizophrenia polygenic risk has been associated with a differential effect of exercise-based interventions on hippocampal subfields (CA4 / Dentate Gyrus), a key brain region in schizophrenia. Moreover, such an approach has shown that schizophrenia polygenic risk that is specifically linked to oligodendrocyte cell lineage seems to be the main mediator of such an exercise effect in hippocampus.
Finally, results of 2-sample mendelian randomization analyses assessing the role of physical activity in cognition and the potential mediator role of schizophrenia risk and hippocampal changes in this interplay will also be presented.