Responders to repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation for treatment of depression are more likely to engage in light physical activity, compared with those who do not respond to treatment, recent research shows.
“It is remarkable that there is so little evidence on whether treatments for depression among adults have an impact on physical activity and whether changes in physical activity mediate the outcomes of these treatments,” Matthew James Fagan, a PhD student at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, and colleagues wrote. “Further research is required in understanding the covariation of [physical activity] with depression treatment response.”
The researchers performed a secondary analysis of 30 individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) who underwent either repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation or intermittent theta burst stimulation for 4-6 weeks. The participants’ 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression was measured along with their level of physical activity before and after treatment. Physical activity was classified as either light physical activity (LPA) – defined as any waking activity between 1.5 and 3.0 metabolic equivalents – or moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), which was defined as waking behavior at 3.0 metabolic equivalents or higher.
A total of 16 participants responded to treatment (greater than or equal to 18 on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression) and 14 participants were deemed nonresponders. The researchers found no significant differences in LPA or MVPA between groups at baseline, but a significant treatment effect was seen among responders who increased LPA by 55 min/day, compared with nonresponders (P = .009). There was also a nonsignificant treatment effect that increased MVPA favoring responders, according to an analysis of covariance.
“Simply, our findings indicate that patients moved more after r-TMS treatment, and this may reinforce the treatment effect,” Mr. Fagan and colleagues reported.
“Future work should systematically examine the role of PA before, during, and after depression treatments as important synergistic mechanisms may be at play in the treatment of MDD,” they wrote.
Mr. Fagan reported no relevant financial disclosures. One or more authors reported support from several entities, including Brainsway, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the National Institutes of Health, and the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, and reported relationships with ANT Neuro, BrainCheck, Brainsway, Lundbeck, Restorative Brain Clinics, and TMS Neuro Solutions.
SOURCE: Fagan MJ et al. Ment Health Phys Act. 2019 Apr 24. doi: 10.1016/j.mhpa.2019.03.003.