Exercise and mental health

Kathleen Mikkelsen, Lily Stojanovska, Momir Polenakovic, Marijan Bosevski, Vasso Apostolopoulos

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

417 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

There is a growing body of literature that recognizes the positive effects of exercise on mood states such as anxiety, stress and depression, through physiological and biochemical mechanisms, including endorphins, mitochondria, mammalian target of rapamycin, neurotransmitters and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and via the thermogenic hypothesis. In addition, psychological mechanisms influence the effects of exercise on mood states, as suggested by both the distraction hypothesis and the self-efficacy hypothesis. Exercise has also been shown to reduce inflammation via several different processes (inflammation, cytokines, toll-like receptors, adipose tissue and via the vagal tone), which can contribute to better health outcomes in people suffering from mood disorders.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)48-56
Number of pages9
JournalMaturitas
Volume106
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Exercise
  • Immune system
  • Inflammation
  • Mental health
  • Mood stress

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
  • Obstetrics and Gynaecology

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