Physical activity impact on mental capacity for patients with depression disorder

Depression is one of the most common and the most expensive mental disorders. It affects one of four women and one of six men (Kessler et al., 2010), and in more than 65 % of patients, disorder episodes are repeated (Monroe & Harkness, 2011). We believe that the problem is that many people with depression never go to a medical institution and do not receive the necessary help or treatment. Among those who are treated with various methods, only about 30–35 percent achieve remission. This shows that more than two-thirds of people with depression do not experience the effects of treatment (Andrews, Issakidis, Sanderson, Corry, & Lapsley, 2004; Roose & Schatzberg, 2005). Recently, more and more studies have shown the benefits of physical activity in the treatment of depression aiming at improving the cognitive function, quality of life, physical condition of patients, but the mechanisms underpinning the acute effects of exercise on cognitive function are not fully examined (Kamijo et al., 2009; Schuch et al., 2017). Research by Atkinson and colleagues (2009) confirmed the hypothesis that the average deterioration of cognitive functions occurs before or along with a decrease in physical working capacity. This shows a strong relationship between physical and mental state of a person (Helgadóttir, Hallgren, Ekblom, & Forsell, 2016; Teychenne, Ball, & Salmon, 2008). Physical activity can also contribute to preserving cognitive function or may reduce or even delay the risk of developing a disease of depression (Atkinson et al., 2009; Chang, Jonsson, & Snaedal, 2010), which depends on age as it is related to the reduction of the brain grey matter in areas such as prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala (Alexopoulos, 2002; Sexton, Mackay, & Ebmeier, 2013). Although a very important symptom of depression is bad mood, in older people depression is more often a cognitive and somatic than mood disorder (Fiske, Wetherell, & Gatz, 2009; Kessler et al., 2010; Luppa et al., 2013). Three related mechanisms of dealing with cognitive processes and disorders in regulating emotions in the course of depression were identified: lack of working memory and inhibition processes in it, deliberate response to negative mood and negative life events, and the inability to use positive and beneficial incentives to change the negative mood. Depression is characterized by an increase in the development of negative information, the difficulty of separating from negative information and the lack of cognitive control when processing negative information (Gotlib & Joormann, 2010). In case of depression, cognitive symptoms that appear at a later age may be the most important determinants of disease progression and deterioration of the quality of life (Harvey & Penn, 2010). The most relevant issue for scientists today is physical activity of patients with depression, as the results of the performed studies indicate that individuals with cognitive deficits were associated with better improvement of memory impairment than healthy subjects (Smith & Blumenthal, 2013). The central nervous system (regardless of age) plastically adapts physical or cognitive exercises (Cramer et al., 2011; Dimyan & Cohen, 2011; Kolb & Gibb, 2011). Aerobic exercises stimulate brain neurogenesis and angiogenesis, which improves brain function, resistance to stress, and reduces inflammatory processes (Cramer et al., 2011; Sanders & Jeste, 2011). Functional interface between the cerebral amygdala and prefrontal cortex affects emotional and cognitive processes, such as decision-making and regulation of emotions (Salzman & Fusi, 2010). Indirectly, physical activity affects brain activity, improves overall health (reduces stress, improves sleep), and thus helps avoid against various chronic diseases (Schuch et al., 2017; Spirduso, Francis, & MacRae, 2005; Van Weel-Baumgarten, Lucassen, Hassink-Franke, & Schers, 2010). Research hypothesis: patients with depression should perform speed and accuracy movements not only slower and with greater variability, but also their speed of learning should be slower than that of healthy people of the same age, and regular physical activity sessions of moderate intensity can improve mental state of people with depression, reduce manifestation of depression symptoms and improve their mental working capacity. Research aim was to determine the effect of physical activity on the mental state of people with depression (expression of depression) and their mental working capacity. Research objectives: 1. To evaluate the physical activity of patients with depression and to determine its links with the quality of life. 2. To evaluate the adaptive changes in speed and accuracy of movements in patients with depression based on fast learning strategy. 3. To evaluate and compare the effect of strength training, active video games and group aerobic training on the mental state of patients with depression (expression of depression) and their cognitive functions. CONCLUSIONS 1. The quality of life of patients with depression depends on physical activity at home, daily physical activities. The greater physical activity of patients with depression is associated with better health assessment, social functioning and vitality. 2. Our research data showed that, although patients with depression performed speed and accuracy movements more slowly, their movement performance stability and fast learning levels did not differ from those of healthy people. Therefore, we believe that fast learning of movements can be applied not only as a preventive measure but also as a cure for depression. 3. Our research findings have shown that aerobic group exercise is a more effective measure for the additional treatment of depression compared to strength and active video game training to improve the cognitive function for patients with depression and reduce depression expression