Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Postmenopausal Women with Major Depression

Aims: To investigate the effect of aerobic exercise on post menopausal women with major depression.
Study Design: A clinical controlled trial.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Polaq Hospital-Cairo, between July 2011 and April 2012.
Methodology: Thirty postmenopausal women (age range 45-50 years) were selected randomly, clinically diagnosed with major depression and divided into 2 equal groups (A&B). Patients in group A were treated by aerobic exercise and anti depressive drug (paroxetine; 20mg/day), patients in group B were treated by anti depressive drug (paroxetine; 20mg/day). The rate of depression was measured by Hamilton depression scale before and after the treatment program.
Results: Patients in group A showed highly signiï¬cant changes in depression intensity (P=.0001) after the treatment program with percentage of improvement was 6.27%. Patients in group B showed highly signiï¬cant changes in depression intensity (P=.001) with percentage of improvement was 5.35%. There were highly signiï¬cant changes between both groups (P=.002).
Conclusion: Aerobic exercise with antidepressant is important to improve depression in post menopausal women than antidepressive drug alone.