Adding Exercise to Antidepressant Medication Treatment for Depression
Condition: Depression
MeSH terms: Depression; Depressive Disorder
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This study will assess the effectiveness of an exercise program in improving antidepressant
      medication treatment for individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD).
    

Detailed description: 
      Partial response to antidepressant treatment is common in people with MDD and is associated
      with significant morbidity and reduced quality of life. Pharmacological therapies have been
      used to augment the effect of antidepressants; however, such therapies are associated with a
      range of adverse effects. Studies indicate that exercise may be safe and effective in
      augmenting depression treatment. This study will determine whether exercise can complement
      selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) therapy in people with MDD who have residual
      symptoms of depression despite drug treatment.

      Participants will be randomly assigned to either high frequency exercise or low frequency
      exercise for 12 weeks. Depression symptoms will be measured weekly. Quality of life and
      satisfaction with the study will also be measured. Depression scales and self-reports will be
      used to assess participants.
    

Intervention name(s): SSRI + LD; SSRI + PHD
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Eligible participants who have completed an adequate trial of SSRI monotherapy and all screening visits are randomly assigned to 24 weeks of SSRI augmentation with : a low dose of aerobic exercise (LD) or a public health dose of aerobic exercise (PHD). The acute phase of TREAD consists of the first 12 weeks of exercise augmentation intervention and includes: a) an individualized PHD- or LD aerobic exercise prescription; b) an empiricallybased behavioral intervention, including selfmonitoring tools and an interactive website, designed to maximize exercise adherence and minimize drop-out; and c) exercise instruction and supervised training sessions at The Cooper Institute (CI) as well as self-administered, home-based training sessions.; Eligible participants who have completed an adequate trial of SSRI monotherapy and all screening visits are randomly assigned to 24 weeks of SSRI augmentation with : a low dose of aerobic exercise (LD) or a public health dose of aerobic exercise (PHD). The acute phase of TREAD consists of the first 12 weeks of exercise augmentation intervention and includes: a) an individualized PHD- or LD aerobic exercise prescription; b) an empiricallybased behavioral intervention, including selfmonitoring tools and an interactive website, designed to maximize exercise adherence and minimize drop-out; and c) exercise instruction and supervised training sessions at The Cooper Institute (CI) as well as self-administered, home-based training sessions.
Intervention MeSH terms: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Exercise therapy; Complementary Therapies