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Short-term aerobic exercise as an adjunct treatment for depression in acute geriatric psychiatry: Results of a randomized controlled trial.

Laura Elani Schulte·Rieke Trumpf·Tim Fleiner·Tobias Morat·Daria Wirtz·Kate Janet Becker·Per Fischer·Wiebren Zijlstra·Peter Haussermann
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: This randomized controlled trial examined whether short-term aerobic exercise provided additional clinical benefit over an active control in older inpatients with depression in geriatric psychiatry. METHODS: 100 patients (mean age 76&#xa0;years) were randomized to 2-week supervised aerobic ergometer training (intervention group, IG) or a flexibility program (control group, CG), both delivered in addition to treatment as usual (TAU). Adherence, training exposure and adverse events were recorded to assess feasibility. The primary outcome was clinical improvement measured with the Clinical Global Impression of Change (CGI). Secondary outcomes included depressive symptom severity assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and clinician-rated Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD), physical activity, 6-min walk test (6MWT) performance, and fluoxetine-equivalent antidepressant dose (FLX). RESULTS: Thirty-nine participants attended at least 80% of sessions, with lower adherence in the IG. Weekly training duration differed between groups (74.0&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;31.9 vs. 95.0&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;25.3&#xa0;min/week, p&#xa0;=&#xa0;.003). CGI did not differ between groups (IG: MD -0.31, 95% CI -0.67 to 0.05; p&#xa0;=&#xa0;.069). Depressive symptom severity decreased over time in both groups (p&#xa0;<&#xa0;.001), without significant between-group differences for HAMD (MD -0.22, 95% CI -2.55 to 2.12) or BDI-II (MD -0.62, 95% CI -3.68 to 2.45). 6MWT and FLX increased over time (both p&#xa0;<&#xa0;.001), without group differences (6MWT: MD -1.08&#xa0;m, 95% CI -20.04 to 17.89; FLX: MD 5.69&#xa0;mg/day, 95% CI -2.40 to 13.77). CONCLUSION: Short-term aerobic exercise was deliverable, but showed no additional clinical benefit over low-intensity flexibility during TAU. Further research should determine dose, duration and adherence for clinically relevant effects.

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HumansFemaleAgedMaleExercise TherapyTreatment OutcomeGeriatric PsychiatryAged, 80 and overExerciseAntidepressive AgentsDepressionPsychiatric Status Rating ScalesFluoxetineCombined Modality TherapyEndurance trainingGeriatric mental healthHospital-basedLate-life depressionNon-pharmacological treatmentJournal ArticleRandomized Controlled Trial

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Laura Elani Schulte, Rieke Trumpf, Tim Fleiner, Tobias Morat, Daria Wirtz, Kate Janet Becker, Per Fischer, Wiebren Zijlstra, Peter Haussermann. 2026-08-14. Short-term aerobic exercise as an adjunct treatment for depression in acute geriatric psychiatry: Results of a randomized controlled trial.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2026.122385

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Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial resourceAged subjectAged, 80 and over subjectAntidepressive Agents subjectCombined Modality Therapy subjectDepression subjectEndurance training subjectExercise subjectExercise Therapy subjectFemale subjectFluoxetine subjectGeriatric Psychiatry subjectGeriatric mental health subjectHospital-based subjectHumans subjectJournal Article subject

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