Why the study?
Although exercise reduces anxiety and depression symptoms, the disparate effects of specific exercise modalities on mood symptoms and electroencephalography activity remain to be elucidated.
Does aerobic and resistance exercise reduce anxiety and depression symptoms and alter EEG activity in healthy adults?
Comparison
Six weeks of aerobic exercise vs resistance exercise with a 3-week washout period
Key result
Six weeks of aerobic exercise significantly reduced anxiety scores (p=0.025) and left frontal theta/beta ratio, whereas resistance exercise significantly reduced depression scores (p=0.044) compared to control.
Authors
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Aerobic exercise may preferentially ease anxiety and resistance target depression; leaves open confirmation via larger RCTs with EEG biomarkers.
RCT (n=28)
Single-blind (assessors blinded to EEG signals)
Randomly divided into three groups
No
Does aerobic and resistance exercise reduce anxiety and depression symptoms and alter EEG activity in healthy adults?
p-value: p=0.025 for anxiety (aerobic vs control); 0.044 for depression (resistance vs control)
Aerobic exercise specifically alleviates anxiety symptoms and alters frontal theta/beta ratio, whereas resistance exercise specifically improves depressive symptoms, suggesting the need for personalized exercise prescriptions for mental health.
Yuk et al. (2025) conducted an RCT in Healthy adults (assessing mood-related symptoms) (n=28). Aerobic and resistance exercise vs. Non-exercise control group was evaluated on Change in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores (p=0.025 for anxiety (aerobic vs control); 0.044 for depression (resistance vs control)). Six weeks of aerobic exercise significantly reduced anxiety scores (p=0.025) and left frontal theta/beta ratio, whereas resistance exercise significantly reduced depression scores (p=0.044) compared to control.
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