Dose-response effects of acute exercise intensity on state anxiety among women with depression

Anxiety is common in people with major depressive disorder (MDD), yet the  anxiolytic effects of acute exercise in MDD are unknown. The purpose of this  analysis was to determine a potentially optimal acute exercise intensity for  reducing state anxiety in women with MDD, the duration of the response, and the  potential influences of depression severity and preferred-intensity exercise. Using a  within-subject, randomized, counter-balanced design, 24 participants completed  five separate visits including 20  min of steady-state bicycling at prescribed (via RPE) light, moderate, or hard intensities, a preferred/self-selected session, or a  quiet rest (QR) session. State anxiety was measured via the State–Trait Anxiety  Inventory (STAI-Y1) and anxiety visual analog scale (VAS) at pre-, immediately  (VAS only), 10  min, and 30  min post-exercise. Depression was measured via the  Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) pre-exercise. Moderate exercise resulted in  a moderate state anxiety reduction compared to QR 10 min (STAI-Y1: g = 0.59,  padj = 0.040) and 30 min post-exercise (STAI-Y1: g = 0.61, padj = 0.032). Pairwise  differences indicated each exercise session decreased state anxiety pre to 10 min  and 30 min post-exercise (all padj < 0.05) for the STAI-Y1, and for moderate and  hard exercise from pre to each time point post-exercise (all padj < 0.05) for the  VAS. Depression severity was associated with state anxiety (p < 0.01) but did not  influence the overall results. Prescribed moderate intensity exercise led to greater  reductions in state anxiety compared to preferred at 30 m (STAI-Y1: g = 0.43,  p = 0.04). These findings suggest steady-state prescribed moderate exercise  reduces state anxiety in women with MDD for at least 30 min following exercise  regardless of their depression severity