ReviewMolecular biology reports2022
An overview of the molecular and physiological antidepressant mechanisms of physical exercise in animal models of depression.
Review in Molecular biology reports, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- Clinical efficacy of exercise in the treatment of post-COVID-19 syndrome: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Frontiers in physiology · 2025Pooled it
- Exercise as a therapeutic strategy for depression in menopausal women: a metaanalysis of randomized trials.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- The effects of an integrated sports and arts intervention on response joint attention (RJA) eye-movement characteristics in children with mild autism.Scientific reports · 2025Trial
- Molecules of mood: the integrated molecular transducers of exercise's antidepressant effects.Molecular genetics and genomics : MGG · 2026Review
- Internet plus-based post-discharge continuity care for mild-to-moderate depression: An exploratory study.World journal of psychiatry · 2026Article
- Association between lower limb strength, anxiety, and depression symptoms in older adults.Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992) · 2026Article
- Associations between muscle strength and mental health in older adults.Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992) · 2026Article
- Recommendations for Physical Exercise as a Strategy to Reduce Problematic Use of the Internet and Digital Devices: A Perspective.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Association between Depressive Symptoms, Physical Activity, and Health Factors in Hispanic Emerging Adults.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Effect of acute and long-term exercise on leptin levels in depressed outpatients.BMC public health · 2023Article
- Long-term consequences of COVID-19 on mental health and the impact of a physically active lifestyle: a narrative review.Annals of general psychiatry · 2023Review
- Integrating Metabolomics and Network Analysis for Exploring the Mechanism Underlying the Antidepressant Activity of Paeoniflorin in Rats With CUMS-Induced Depression.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2022Article
- The association between physical activity and mental health in medical postgraduates in China during COVID-19 pandemic.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundDepression is a global disease that affects the physical and mental health of people of all ages. Non-pharmacological and unconventional methods of treatment, such as regular physical exercise, have been recommended to treat depression.
methodsHere, we briefly review the literature about the physiological and molecular mechanisms of exercise antidepressants in depressive-like behavior in animal models of depression.
resultsThe main hysiological and molecular mechanisms of physical exercise in depression include blood flow changes in several areas of the brain, increase in brain serotonin synthesis, increase in antioxidant enzymes, increase in serum and brain brain-derived neuro factor (BDNF) levels, decrease in cortisol levels and reduced inflammation in peripheral and brain tissues. Physical exercise also leads to increased activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), PGC-1α/FNDC5/Irisin pathway, BDNF concentrations (serum and cerebral), extracellular signal-regulated kinase and cAMP-response element binding protein (mainly in neurons of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex), which together contribute to fight or inhibit the development of depression symptoms. These molecular and physiological mechanisms work in synchrony, further enhancing their effects.
conclusionPhysical exercise can be used as a safe and effective non-pharmacological treatment in depression.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.