Researchers continue to build on past findings regarding the benefits of exercise for panic disorder. A protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or simply BDNF, has been found to be deficient in people who have panic disorder. Both antidepressants and exercise are known to boost BDNF. A recent study investigated if exercise can enhance this protein in a group of people with panic disorder compared to a group without it.
Participants in this study consisted of a sample group of subjects with panic disorder and an equal amount of subjects that did not have a history of mental health issues. All participants were required to engage in a half hour of exercise or an equal amount of relaxing rest. In order to analyze BDNF levels, researchers collected serum samples of all participants before and after their half hour of exercise or rest.
Test results found that panic disorder participants had much lower BDNF than the non-panic disorder control group before either exercise or rest. It was also discovered that BDNF dramatically increased after exercise only for the panic disorder group. While no significant changes were found after a period of rest for either group.
These results indicate that even short-term exercise can improve BDNF proteins in those with panic disorder. Such study results leave experts wondering how panic disorder patients could benefit from a regular exercise routine and what role physical activity can play in therapy and treatment.
This study was published in Psychoneuroendocrinology.
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