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This article highlights the emotional benefits of exercise for older adults - although these benefits can be realized by people of all ages.

The study in 1999 included 156 elderly patients Diagnosed with MDD (major depressive disorder).

MDD - A DESCRIPTION

Symptoms of MDD, as outlined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV (DSM-IV), the psychiatric reference book include depressed mood, loss of pleasure or interest combined with at least four of the following:1. Sleep disturbances
2. Changes in appetite
3. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
4. Weight loss
5. Impaired concentration or cognition and recurrent thought of death

The elderly patients in the study were assigned to 3 groups:1. Exercise
2. Combination of medication and exercise
3. MedicationAfter 16 weeks to the surprise of the researchers all three groups showed similar and statistically significant improvement in measurements of depression. Based on the DSM-IV definition of depression here were the results: 60.4 percent of the patients who only exercised were no longer depressed, compared with 68.8 percent of the combination group and 65.5 percent of the medication group."One of the conclusions we can draw from this is that exercise may be just as effective as medication and may be a better alternative for certain patients," said the James Blumenthal, lead researcher and Duke psychologist who published the results of his team's study in the Oct. 25 issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine. "While we don't know why exercise confers such a benefit, this study shows that exercise should be considered as a credible form of treatment for these patients," Blumenthal said in an interview. "Almost one-third of depressed patients in general do not respond to medications, and for others, the medications can cause unwanted side effects. Exercise should be considered a viable option."Blumental said that even though the researchers only studied elderly and middle-aged people the results most likely hold true for the general population. "Because the elderly tend to have additional medical problems that might make regular exercise difficult, this is the most difficult group to test the exercise hypothesis."
It was noted by the researchers that the patients who took the antidepressants saw their symptoms relieved sooner but by the end of 16 weeks the group differences had disappearedBlumenthal suggested that exercise may be beneficial because patients are being proactive in trying to get better. "Simply taking a pill is very passive," he said. "Patients who exercised may have felt a greater sense of mastery over their condition and gained a greater sense of accomplishment. They felt more self-confident and had better self-esteem because they were able to do it themselves, and attributed their improvement to their ability to exercise.""These findings could change the way some depressed patients are treated, especially those who are not interested in taking antidepressants," Blumenthal said. "While these medications have been proven to be effective, many people want to avoid the side effects or are looking for a more 'natural' way of feeling better."

The research team included, from Duke, Michael Babyak, Kathleen Moore, Steve Herman, Parinda Khatri, Dr. Robert Waugh, Melissa Napolitano, Dr. Leslie Forman, Dr. Murali Doraiswamy and Dr. Ranga Krishnan. Others included Edward Craighead, University of Colorado at Boulder, and Mark Applebaum, University of California at San Diego