SynthesisFrontiers in psychiatry2025
Exercise as a therapeutic strategy for depression in menopausal women: a metaanalysis of randomized trials.
Synthesis in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis 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
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Effects of exercise interventions on depressive symptoms in perimenopausal women in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Pooled it
- Exercise and Brain Health in Postmenopausal Women: A Review of Cognitive Benefits, Mechanisms, and Neurodegeneration Prevention.NeuroSci · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Menopause is a transitional phase in a woman's life marked by a heightened vulnerability to depressive symptoms. Exercise has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological strategy for alleviating depression, yet the extent to which different intervention characteristics influence outcomes remains unclear. Objective: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the overall effectiveness of exercise interventions in reducing depressive symptoms among menopausal women and to examine potential moderators through detailed subgroup analyses. Methods: A comprehensive search of four databases identified 16 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) meeting the inclusion criteria. Standardised mean differences (SMDs) were calculated to quantify effect sizes. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on exercise format (individual vs. group), exercise type, session length, total intervention duration, and menopausal stage. Sensitivity analysis and Egger's test were used to assess result stability and publication bias, respectively. Results: Exercise interventions were associated with a significant reduction in depressive symptoms (SMD=-1.04, 95% CI: -1.46 to -0.63, p < 0.00001). Subgroup analyses indicated that individual-based formats, mind-body exercises (e.g., yoga, tai chi), longer sessions (60-90 min), extended intervention durations (>12 weeks), and interventions during the perimenopausal stage produced greater effects. Egger's test suggested no significant publication bias (p=0.441), and sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the findings. Conclusion: Exercise is an effective intervention for reducing depressive symptoms in menopausal women. The magnitude of benefit varies by intervention characteristics, underscoring the need for personalised, phase-specific exercise prescriptions. These findings provide a strong evidence base for integrating structured exercise into mental health strategies targeting midlife women. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD420251046026.
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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.