Brain neural mechanisms underlying VR enhanced aerobic exercise for mood enhancement in depressed adolescents.

Introduction: To compare the immediate effects of a single bout of virtual reality (VR) aerobic exercise versus traditional aerobic exercise on depressive mood in middle-school students and to explore the underlying Electroencephalogram (EEG) microstate and power-spectrum mechanisms. Methods: Forty middle-school students were classified into depressed and healthy groups based on the PHQ-9 and completed 15 min of moderate-intensity conventional cycling and VR cycling in a crossover design. Mood was assessed with the Brief Mood Scale (BFS) before and after each intervention, and resting-state EEG was recorded. EEG signals were processed using power spectrum analysis and microstate analysis, and correlation analysis was conducted between BFS questionnaire scores and microstate parameters. Results: Both interventions significantly increased vigor and pleasure while reducing depression and lethargy ( Conclusion: A single bout of VR-assisted aerobic exercise more effectively enhances immediate mood in middle-school students with depressive symptoms than traditional cycling, likely owing to stronger modulation of microstate dynamics linked to emotion and attention networks and of oscillatory activity in specific frequency bands.