Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise in the Brain

Million of Americans go through the blues and sad moments from clinical depression each year. Most patients with depression first seek treatment from a therapist or a primary care provider. However, exercise is a developmental behavior intervention that has displayed strong promise in alleviating symptoms of depression. The objective is examine whether physical activity is associated with depression in an average size population based on gender and age. A total of 310 participates ( 123 Male and 184 females and 3 other ) of UO students and other random volunteered to participate. All participants age ranged from 14 to 99, had to completed two self- report questionnaires. Besides answering question on their exercise habits during the past week, also took into account that all participants also completed CES-D questionnaire that determine their depression levels. In the surveyed there was a lower level of depression with more frequent weekly exercise give it a negative correlation. Also with the duration question, showed a significant negative correlation with the levels of depression. The efficiency of exercise in reducing depression cannot be determined because of the small size of participates and the lack of excellent quality research on population with adequate follow up

One group took part in an aerobic exercise program, another was given SSRI, (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) which is a used as an antidepressant in many athletes struggling to cope with pressure. The third group was to do both of the programs together. At the 16-week mark, depression had lowered in all three groups. In fact, about 60-70% of the participants could no longer be classified as having severe depression (June 2009 Harvard Medical School). The groups scores rating on levels of depression were relatively the same, this suggests that for those who need or want to avoid drugs, exercise in a suitable substitute for antidepressants. Keep in mind though, that the swiftest response occurred with the group taking antidepressants and that it can be difficult to stay motivated to exercise when you are depressed. This shows how beneficial exercise can be when trying to relieve depression in athletes and social sport participants but this is not true for elite athletes as exercise is already a massive contributor to their lives, so although that exercise can help people suffering from depression, there is clearly other severe factors that are affecting an elite athletes mental

While the research of Blumenthal et al. (2007) focused on exercise being effective in reducing self-reported depressive symptoms, Diaz and Motta (2008) and Motta, Kuligowski, and Marino (2010) looked at the positive effects of exercise on depression, anxiety and PTSD. The theory of exercise’s positive effect on mental health has heavily been focused on

A growing epidemic in America is depression. Physicians are able to prescribe drugs to help with the symptoms of depression, but other therapeutic methods have been studied and show great results in recovery. Therapeutic Physical Fitness has shown to reduce depression and anxiety. Ihas been confirmed through experiments that physical exercise can be as effective as antidepressant drugs and some cases suggest that it better prevents symptom recurrence.

Since 1990s, many scientists agree that exercise has positive impacts on people’s physical health and mental health (SIME WE, 1987). From Morgan and O’Connor’s research, people can reduce stress and state anxiety by doing physical activities; also gain emotional pleasure from the process (Morgan and O’Connor, 1988). Later in 1997, Landers states that physical activities can reduce people depression after weeks of regular and routine exercise. In addition, people can benefit from more

These researches are however mostly dedicated to single exercise types. It is therefore necessary to examine these research literatures and data collected from the work of previous scholars with the aims of synthesizing all the available exercise types, and determining their roles in improving the moods of people with depression. Results from the current study will also serve as a tool for the psychoeducation of counselors, and clients with

James et al. (2007) noticed exercise has showed similar effect like antidepressant medication in reducing symptoms of depression in over 156 older MDD patients in his research study. They used graded treadmill exercise testing to check the fitness levels of all the patients before treatment . Researchers compared the effect of exercise on the symptoms of patient’s depression by involving participants in 4 groups .One group is under supervision and the other group involved in a home based program. The other two groups were under antidepressant medications Both exercise groups participated in 30minutes aerobic session such as walking or jogging on a treadmill including 10mins warm up at the beginning and 5 mins cool down at the end. james also mentioned that all the participants were monitored 3 times during their exercise session by checking their heart rates manually via radial pulses, along with ratings of perceived exertion and the home-based exercise group have been followed up by an exerxise physiologist monthly and taking feedback via phone calls every week in the first month and therafter

Physical activity has been proven to stimulate various brain chemicals that can leave us feeling happy and relaxed. Dr. Mary de Groot of Indiana University ran a study on the link of depression and diabetes with exercise. With the diabetes patients, she had them perform a 12-week exercise and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention program. The group that exercised showed improvements both in depression and in blood sugar levels. (Weir) Working out consistently can also help tremendously with our self-esteem and confidence. Exercise can boost our energy by improving our endurance and muscle strength that can benefit us in daily life situations such as at work or school. It may seem counter intuitive to say, but expending energy can help us gain more energy. It can help your cardiovascular system work more effectively by delivering oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. More than 90% of studies indicate that exercise increases energy for nearly every group, ranging from sedentary to healthy adults to cancer patients. Exercise can also make us sleep more efficiently by being able to fall asleep faster and reach an even deeper sleep. This effect happens over time the more consistent we exercise. Research has shown that exercise has a long term effect on sleep, but having quality sleep has a short term effect on our

Kamp, C. F., Sperlich, B., & Holmberg, H. (2014). Exercise reduces the symptoms of attention-

Over the last 30-40 years, the amount and intensity of exercise has gradually declined. Few children in the United States have actually met the recommended “sixty minutes of vigorous exercise” per day (Institute of Medicine, 2013). Although most states and districts have policies pertaining to physical education, these programs lack reinforcement and are often considered weak. Physical education has slowly declined throughout the years, and the the purpose of encouraging students to make physical activity part of their daily lifestyle has been lost. Recent research from Cornell University has found that the average high school gym class consists of students being active for an average of only sixteen minutes! This is nowhere near the recommended sixty minutes of physical exercise. Physical education has been pushed to the side while academics have been prioritised. P.E. classes have become overlooked by society as a whole. Students simply see it as a courses used only for socializing, or to avoid academic courses such as Algebra, Biology, and History. While teachers no longer encourage students to be active, this should not be the path in which we take physical education. The importance of exercise and physical activity goes beyond the classroom with is proven benefits in memory, cognition and attention which are skills that can be used for daily life activities. In recent times, many programs are popping up across the country to emphasize the importance of being active!

The book I chose to read was Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey, MD. I chose this book because I am very interested in this topic. I enjoy working out, running and playing sports regularly, not only because of the physical benefits, but the mental benefits as well. I believe that John Ratey wrote this book to shed light on the fact that exercise is even more important than society already thinks. Everyone knows that exercise is healthy for the muscles, bones and heart; but, however, generally speaking, most people are unaware of the extreme mental profits that can occur as a result of exercise.

The purpose of the trial was to see the effects of exercise on depression and neuroendocrine stress hormones such as urinary cortisol and epinephrine. The study consisted of two hundred sixty six volunteers who were students of a nursing school in Thailand. All the individuals went through a screening test, CES-D, which was a self-report test in which they would rank common symptoms of depression to determine if they fall within the range of mild to severe. Forty nine volunteers were chosen and split into two groups : group A (participating in a physical exercise program for eight weeks) and group B (participating in the same daily routine as normal for eight weeks). The trial went on for sixteen weeks and when eight

This was a cross-sectional study that took place in the early 70’s, with the connection between physical activity and helping combat depression in the elderly demographic. The value of exercise is widely known for a plethora of reasons, but in regard to depression it has been an invaluable outlet for many; “increased feelings of self-efficacy, self- perceptions of control and mastery, reduced physiologic responses to stress, and beneficial effects on neurotransmitters such as increased serotonin and endorphins” (Kritz-Silverstein, Barrett-Connor, & Corbeau, 2001, p. 596).

Exercise also helps to create a high content of other chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, all which regulate the body and brain in different ways (Collins). Serotonin livens a person’s mood, while also helping to regulate sleep, develop their memory and learning abilities, and create or maintain certain social behaviors (Bouchez). Increased levels of these chemicals help people with mental illnesses respond to stressful situations in a more acceptable fashion, helping them to transition back into normal society quicker.

This report aims to determine the efficacy and benefits of exercise in the management of depression, which is classified by the World Health Organisation as a mood disorder. In order to place exercise therapy into context, conventional methods for treating clinical depression are discussed. A personal meta-analysis is then undertaken, summarising the findings of studies that have explored the clinical significance of physical exercise as an intervention in treating depression. The advantages and disadvantages of such an intervention are described, and