Abstract

Background

Moderate to vigorous endurance and strength-training exercise was suggested as a treatment option for major depression. However, there is little evidence to support this suggestion in adolescent patients. The present study investigates the effects of a whole-body vibration strength-training intervention on symptoms in medication-naïve adolescent inpatients experiencing a major depressive episode. Potential underlying endocrinological and neurobiological mechanisms are explored.

Methods/design

A double-blinded randomized controlled trial is conducted at the University Hospital of Cologne in Germany, comparing a 6-week, whole-body vibration strength-training with a 6-week placebo-intervention, as add-on therapy to inpatient treatment as usual. Forty-one subjects (13–18 years of age) will be included in each of the two groups. The study is powered to detect (α = .05, β = .2) a medium effect size difference between the two groups (d = .5) in terms of patients’ change in the Children’s Depression Rating Scale raw-score, from baseline until the end of the intervention. As secondary endpoints, the effects of exercise treatment on patients’ cortisol awakening response as well as on brain-derived neurotrophic factor, insulin-like growth factor 1 and inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein) serum levels will be assessed.

Discussion

This study will provide evidence on the effectiveness of whole-body vibration strength-training as an add-on therapy in adolescent inpatients experiencing a major depressive episode. After completion of data collection, the present study will be the largest randomized controlled trial so far to investigate the effectiveness of an exercise intervention in inpatient adolescents suffering from a major depressive episode. Moreover, the present study may help to determine the underlying mechanisms of potential anti-depressant effects of exercise in depressed adolescent inpatients.

Trial registration

DRKS.de, German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS), Identifier: DRKS00011772. Registered on 20 March 2017.

Details

Title
Effects of a 6-week, whole-body vibration strength-training on depression symptoms, endocrinological and neurobiological parameters in adolescent inpatients experiencing a major depressive episode (the “Balancing Vibrations Study”): study protocol for a randomized placebo-controlled trial
Author
Oberste, Max 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Großheinrich, Nicola 2 ; Wunram, Heidrun-Lioba 1 ; Graf, Johannes Levin 1 ; Ziemendorff, Alischa 1 ; Meinhardt, Axel 1 ; Fricke, Oliver 3 ; Mahabir, Esther 4 ; Bender, Stephan 1 

1  University of Cologne, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany (GRID:grid.6190.e) (ISNI:0000 0000 8580 3777) 
2  Catholic University of Applied Science of North Rhine – Westphalia, Department of Social Sciences, Cologne, Germany (GRID:grid.466086.a) (ISNI:0000 0001 1010 8830) 
3  Chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Witten/Herdecke University and Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Child Neurology, Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Herdecke, Herdecke, Germany (GRID:grid.412581.b) (ISNI:0000 0000 9024 6397) 
4  University of Cologne, Comparative Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Cologne, Germany (GRID:grid.6190.e) (ISNI:0000 0000 8580 3777) 
Pages
347
Publication year
2018
Publication date
Dec 2018
Publisher
Springer Nature B.V.
e-ISSN
17456215
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-018-2747-8
ProQuest document ID
2795281974
Copyright
© The Author(s). 2018. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.