Practical Geriatrics ›› 2023, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (6): 595-598.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1003-9198.2023.06.014

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Effect of moderate aerobic exercise on the levels of serotonin, norepinephrine and autonomic function in elderly patients with depression

ZHANG Yi, ZHENG Su-zhen, YANG Li-wei, LIN Qiang   

  1. Clinical Laboratory, Zigong Mental Health Center, Zigong 643020, China
  • Received:2022-08-22 Online:2023-06-20 Published:2023-06-30
  • Contact: LIN Qiang, Email: kulinqiang@126.com

Abstract: Objective To analyze the intervention effect of moderate aerobic exercise on the levels of serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) and autonomic function in the elderly patients with depression. Methods A total of 100 elderly patients with depression treated in our hospital from January 2020 to June 2021 were enrolled in this study, and were divided into the control group and the observation group according to the alternating grouping method, with 50 cases in each group. The control group received paroxetine, and the observation group received moderate aerobic exercise based on the control group for 12 weeks. The levels of 5-HT, NE, low frequency band (LF), high frequency band (HF), LF/HF ratio, the scores of self-rating depression scale (SDS) and Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) and the intervention effect of the two groups were observed and compared. Results After intervention, the levels of 5-HT, NE, LF, LF/HF ratio and the MMSE score in the two groups increased significantly, especially in the observation group (P<0.01), and the SDS scores of the two groups decreased significantly, especially in the observation group (P<0.01). The total effective rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). Conclusions Moderate aerobic exercise intervention can improve the levels of 5-HT and NE, and has a positive effect on the autonomic nervous function in the elderly patients with depression.

Key words: aerobic exercise, depression, serotonin, norepinephrine, autonomic function

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