Hanna Karen Moreira Antunes

Depression, anxiety and quality of life scores in seniors after an endurance exercise program

OBJECTIVE Mood disorders are a frequent problem in old age, and their symptoms constitute an important public health issue. These alterations affect the quality of life mainly by restricting social life. The participation in a regular exercise program is an effective way of reducing or preventing the functional decline associated with aging. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of fitness-endurance activity (at the intensity of Ventilatory Threshold 1 (VT-1)) in depression, anxiety and quality of life scores in seniors. METHODS The study involved 46 sedentary seniors aged 60-75 (66.97 +/- 4.80) who were randomly allocated to two groups: 1) Control group, which was neither asked to vary their everyday activities nor to join a regular physical fitness program; and 2) Experimental group, whose members took part in an aerobic fitness program consisting of ergometer cycle sessions 3 times a week on alternate days for six months working at a heart rate corresponding to ventilatory threshold (VT-1) intensity. Subjects were submitted to a basal evaluation using the geriatric depression screening scale--GDS, STAI trait/state (anxiety scale) and SF-36 (quality of life scale). RESULTS Comparing the groups after the study period, we found a significant decrease in depressive and anxiety scores and an improvement in the quality of life in the experimental group, but no significant changes in the control group. CONCLUSION The data suggest that an aerobic exercise program at VT-1 intensity suffices to promote favorable modifications in depressive and anxiety scores to improve the quality of life in seniors.

Exercício físico e função cognitiva: uma revisão

RESUMO O exercicio e o treinamento fisico sao conhecidos por promover diversas alteracoes, incluindo beneficios cardiorrespiratorios, aumento da densidade mineral ossea e diminuicao do risco de doencas cronico-degenerativas. Recentemente outro aspecto tem ganhando notoriedade: trata-se da melhoria na funcao cognitiva. Embora haja grande controversia, diversos estudos tem demonstrado que o exercicio fisico melhora e protege a funcao cerebral, sugerindo que pessoas fisicamente ativas apresentam menor risco de serem acometidas por desordens mentais em relacao as sedentarias. Isso mostra que a participacao em programas de exercicios fisicos exercem beneficios nas esferas fisica e psicologica e que, provavelmente, individuos fisicamente ativos possuem um processamento cognitivo mais rapido. Embora os beneficios cognitivos do estilo de vida fisicamente ativo parecam estar relacionados ao nivel de atividade fisica regular, ou seja, exercicio realizado durante toda a vida, sugerindo uma “reserva cognitiva”, nunca e tarde para se iniciar um programa de exercicios fisicos. Dessa forma, o uso do exercicio fisico como alternativa para melhorar a funcao cognitiva parece ser um objetivo a ser alcancado, principalmente em virtude da sua aplicabilidade, pois se trata de um metodo relativamente barato, que pode ser direcionado a grande parte da populacao. Assim, o objetivo da presente revisao e o de discutir os aspectos associativos entre exercicio fisico e funcao cognitiva, permitindo uma ponderacao entre o seu uso enquanto alternativa e elemento coadjuvante.

Sleep and muscle recovery: Endocrinological and molecular basis for a new and promising hypothesis

Sleep is essential for the cellular, organic and systemic functions of an organism, with its absence being potentially harmful to health and changing feeding behavior, glucose regulation, blood pressure, cognitive processes and some hormonal axes. Among the hormonal changes, there is an increase in cortisol (humans) and corticosterone (rats) secretion, and a reduction in testosterone and Insulin-like Growth Factor 1, favoring the establishment of a highly proteolytic environment. Consequently, we hypothesized that sleep debt decreases the activity of protein synthesis pathways and increases the activity of degradation pathways, favoring the loss of muscle mass and thus hindering muscle recovery after damage induced by exercise, injuries and certain conditions associated with muscle atrophy, such as sarcopenia and cachexia.

High altitude exposure impairs sleep patterns, mood, and cognitive functions

This work evaluated the importance of sleep on mood and cognition after 24 h of exposure to hypoxia. Ten males, aged 23-30 years, were placed in a normobaric chamber simulating an altitude of 4,500 m. Sleep assessments were conducted from 22:00-6:00; all mood and cognitive assessments were performed 20 min after awakening. The assessments were conducted in normoxic conditions and after 24 h of hypoxia. Sleep was reevaluated 14 h after the start of exposure to hypoxic conditions, and mood state and cognitive functions were reevaluated 24 h after the start of exposure to hypoxic conditions. Hypoxia reduced total sleep time, sleep efficiency, slow-wave sleep, and rapid eye movement. Depressive mood, anger, and fatigue increased under hypoxic conditions. Vigor, attention, visual and working memory, concentration, executive functions, inhibitory control, and speed of mental processing worsened. Changes in sleep patterns can modulate mood and cognition after 24 h.

Mood, Anxiety, and Serum IGF-1 in Elderly Men Given 24 Weeks of High Resistance Exercise:

As aging advances, changes in mood and anxiety may imply greater risk of mood disorders, particularly anxiety and depression. Resistance exercise reduces anxiety and lessens risk of depression in the elderly, but little is known of the mechanisms involved. It was hypothesized that the human growth factor (IGF-1) may improve mood and anxiety in elderly participants given resistance training. 43 elderly men ages 65 to 75 years were randomly assigned to two groups, Control (n = 23) and high resistance Exercise (n = 20). After 24 wk., the Exercise group showed improved muscular strength and higher IGF-1 serum levels than the Control group, as indicated by mean scores on a visual analogue mood scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Intensive resistance training was efficacious in improving mood, anxiety, and IGF-1 serum concentration in elderly individuals free of clinical mood disorders.

Relationship between physical activity and depression and anxiety symptoms: A population study

BACKGROUND There are few studies evaluating the association between practice of physical activity and mood in a population sample. This study evaluated the frequency of symptoms of depression and anxiety in the population of the city of Sao Paulo and their association with the report of practice of regular physical activity. METHODS This survey was conducted with the adult population of Sao Paulo between July and December of 2007. The sample was composed of 1042 volunteers (both genders) with a mean age of 41.9±14.4 years. The volunteers were evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and two simple questions designed to evaluate and classify physical activity. Socioeconomic status was also determined according to Brazils Economic Classification Criterion. RESULTS People who do not engage in physical activity are two times more likely to exhibit symptoms of depression (PR: 2.1) and anxiety (PR: 2.5) compared with those who regularly practice physical activity and a higher prevalence of symptoms for anxiety (9.8%) and depression (10.9%) was observed among those claiming to not practice regular physical activity and 63.2% related did not practice any physical activity regularly. CONCLUSION Altogether, these results suggest that people who do not practice physical activity have a higher chance of exhibiting symptoms of depression and anxiety when compared to those who perform physical activity regularly. In this sense, regular physical activity must be encouraged, and this incentive should be routine in both current and future public health policies. Although the methodology in the present study does not allow assigning a relation of cause and effect, we observed associations between symptoms of depression, anxiety and physical activity.

Quality of life in Brazilian obese adolescents: effects of a long-term multidisciplinary lifestyle therapy.

BackgroundObesity has adverse physical, social, and economic consequences that can negatively affect quality of life (QOL). Thus the aim of this study was to verify the effects of a long-term multidisciplinary lifestyle intervention on QOL, body image, anxiety, depression and binge eating in obese adolescents.MethodsSixty-six obese adolescents (41 girls and 25 boys; BMI: 35.62 ± 4.18 kg/m2) were recruited from the Multidisciplinary Obesity Intervention Program outpatient clinic, and were submitted to a multidisciplinary lifestyle therapy (short-term = 12 weeks and long-term = 24 weeks), composed of medical, dietary, exercise and psychological programs. Validated self-report questionnaires were used to assess symptoms of anxiety Trait/State (STAI); depression (BDI); binge eating (BES), body image dissatisfaction (BSQ) and QOL (SF-36). Data were analyzed by means of scores; comparisons were made by ANOVA for repeated measures, and Tukeys test as post-hoc and Students T test.ResultsLong-term therapy decreased depression and binge eating symptoms, body image dissatisfaction, and improved QOL in girls, whereas, for boys, 24 weeks, were effective to reduce anxiety trait/state and symptoms of binge eating, and to improve means of dimensions of QOL (p < .05).ConclusionA long-term multidisciplinary lifestyle therapy is effective to control psychological aspects and to improve QOL in obese adolescents.

Tratamento multidisciplinar reduz o tecido adiposo visceral, leptina, grelina e a prevalência de esteatose hepática não alcoólica (NAFLD) em adolescentes obesos

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar as alteracoes promovidas, por intervencao multidisciplinar, nas concentracoes plasmaticas de grelina e leptina, adiposidade visceral e prevalencia de esteatose hepatica nao alcoolica (NAFLD), em adolescentes obesos. Foram avaliados 28 adolescentes obesos, 16 meninas (IMC 34,58 ± 3,86kg/m2) e 12 meninos (IMC 37,08 ± 3,17kg/m2), com idade entre 15 e 19 anos, quanto a concentracao de leptina, grelina, insulina, assim como a adiposidade visceral e o diagnostico de NAFLD pelo metodo de ultra-sonografia. Os resultados demonstraram reducao significante na concentracao circulante de grelina e leptina e na adiposidade visceral (p < 0,01). Houve ainda reducao percentual na prevalencia de NAFLD, sendo este um resultado relevante, visto que esta doenca pode progredir para cirrose, tanto em criancas quanto em adolescentes obesos. Este tipo de tratamento demonstrou ser eficiente na melhora do perfil metabolico e hormonal, contribuindo para o controle da obesidade e suas co-morbidades em adolescentes obesos.

Paradoxical sleep deprivation induces muscle atrophy

Introduction: Because paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) induces a catabolic hormone profile, we sought to evaluate the morphology of the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle and testosterone and corticosterone levels of paradoxical sleep–deprived rats.Methods: Three study groups of rats were established: the first group was sleep deprived for 96 h; the second group was also sleep deprived for 96 h, but then returned to their home‐cage and allowed to sleep for the next 96 h; and the third group was the control group, with a normal sleep cycle. Results: PSD reduced the weight and fiber cross‐sectional area of the TA muscle. Moreover, PSD enhanced plasma corticosterone and reduced serum testosterone levels. The 96 h of sleep after PSD was sufficient to restore partially the morphology of TA, while hormones returned to basal levels. Conclusion: PSD induces hormonal alterations that may mediate muscle atrophy. Muscle Nerve, 2012

O estresse físico e a dependência de exercício físico

The aim of this study was to verify the referring scores of exercise dependence, quality of life as well as the mood indicators in adventure race (AR) athletes. 17 athletes of both sexes participated in the study and all had a history of three years in this modality, with national and international experience, and figured in the first positions in the Brazilian ranking. The age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and oxygen uptake averages ± standard deviations were: 31.11 ± 6.30 years; 1.73 ± 0.07 cm; 70.75 ± 7.96 kg; 23.48 ± 1.48 wt/ht2 and 58.70 ± 6.63 ml.min-1.kg-1, respectively. The volunteers were given the following questionnaires: Exercise Dependency Scale (EDE), Idate Trait and State, Profile of Mood States (POMS), SF-36 Health Research and Social Patterns Questionnaire. The results showed that scores in EDE indicated exercise dependence, and the mood questionnaires revealed moderate anxiety, while the POMS did not detect any indicative scores of mood disorders. Concerning the quality of life, the average of 8 dimensions of the SF-36 was higher than 85%, suggesting that although there was exercise dependence, this fact alone did not promote significant alterations in mood and quality of life. Thus, our data suggested that athletes of AR have exercise dependence not associated to mood disorders.ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to verify the referring scores of exer-cise dependence, quality of life as well as the mood indicators inadventure race (AR) athletes. 17 athletes of both sexes participa-ted in the study and all had a history of three years in this modality,with national and international experience, and figured in the firstpositions in the Brazilian ranking. The age, height, weight, bodymass index (BMI) and oxygen uptake averages ± standard deviati-ons were: 31.11 ± 6.30 years; 1.73 ± 0.07 cm; 70.75 ± 7.96 kg;23.48 ± 1.48 wt/ht 2 and 58.70 ± 6.63 ml.min -1 .kg , respectively.The volunteers were given the following questionnaires: ExerciseDependency Scale (EDE), Idate Trait and State, Profile of MoodStates (POMS), SF-36 Health Research and Social Patterns Ques-tionnaire. The results showed that scores in EDE indicated exerci-se dependence, and the mood questionnaires revealed moderateanxiety, while the POMS did not detect any indicative scores ofmood disorders. Concerning the quality of life, the average of 8dimensions of the SF-36 was higher than 85%, suggesting thatalthough there was exercise dependence, this fact alone did notpromote significant alterations in mood and quality of life. Thus,our data suggested that athletes of AR have exercise dependencenot associated to mood disorders.