Abstract
Background/Objective: (1) Examine the role of exercise intensity on mental health symptoms in a community-based sample of older adults. (2) Explore the moderating role of genetic variation in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and apolipoprotein E (APOE) on the effects of exercise on mental health symptoms.
Method: This study is a secondary analysis of a three-arm randomized controlled trial, comparing the effects of 6 months of high-intensity aerobic training vs. moderate-intensity aerobic training vs. a no-contact control group on mental health symptoms assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS). The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and APOE 4 carrier status were explored as genetic moderators of exercise effects on mental health symptoms.
Results: The exercise intervention did not influence mental health symptoms. The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism did not moderate intervention effects on mental health symptoms. APOE 4 carrier status moderated the effect of intervention group on perceived stress over 6 months, such that APOE 4 carriers, but not non-carriers, in the high-intensity aerobic training group showed a decline in perceived stress over 6 months.
Conclusions: APOE 4 carrier status may modify the benefits of high-intensity exercise on perceived stress such that APOE 4 carriers show a greater decline in stress as a result of exercise relative to non-APOE 4 carriers.
Keywords
Exercise cognition, Exercise psychiatry, Health psychology, Mental health
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
1-1-2024
Article Number
100443
Volume
24
Issue
1
Publication Title
International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology
Publisher
Elsevier
School
Centre for Precision Health / School of Medical and Health Sciences
RAS ID
62632
Funding Information
This work was supported by National Health and Medical Research Council Dementia Research Development Fellowship (GNT1097105).
Funding received from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
GNT1097105
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Gujral, S., Burns, M., Erickson, K. I., Rofey, D., Peiffer, J. J., Laws, S. M., & Brown, B. (2024). Dose-response effects of exercise on mental health in community-dwelling older adults: Exploration of genetic moderators. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 24(1), Article 100443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijchp.2024.100443
Comments
Gujral, S., Burns, M., Erickson, K. I., Rofey, D., Peiffer, J. J., Laws, S. M., & Brown, B. (2024). Dose-response effects of exercise on mental health in community-dwelling older adults: Exploration of genetic moderators. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 24(1), article 100443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijchp.2024.100443