PMID 30622487

Research
All papers

Sprint Interval Training and Continuous Aerobic Exercise Training Have Similar Effects on Exercise Motivation and Affective Responses to Exercise in Patients With Major Depressive Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Gerber M, Minghetti A, Beck J, Zahner L, Donath L

Question

Does sprint interval training affect exercise motivation, affective responses, fitness, physical activity, and depressive symptoms differently than continuous aerobic training in patients with major depressive disorder?

Summary

In inpatients with major depressive disorder, 4 weeks of supervised cycling sprint intervals produced similar improvements in exercise motivation, affect during sessions, fitness, perceived fitness, and depressive symptoms compared with calorically matched continuous cycling. The study reported no serious adverse events, which matters because the population was clinically vulnerable and mostly inactive.

Methodology

  • Adults with unipolar major depressive disorder receiving inpatient treatment
  • 50 participants.
  • Bicycle ergometer.
  • Work intervals: 30 seconds.
  • Recovery: 30 seconds complete rest.
  • Intensity: 80% VO2max.
  • 35 minutes including warm-up/cool-down.
  • 3 times/week.
  • 4 weeks.
  • Two-arm randomized controlled trial
  • Exercise motivation, Affective valence, Cardiorespiratory fitness, and Depressive symptoms were tracked.

Outcomes

Motivation

SIT and CAT did not differ in changes in self-determined exercise motivation.

Time-by-group effects not significant for motivation indices.

No clear change

Affect

SIT and CAT produced similar positive affective responses during and after sessions.

No clear change

Fitness and symptoms

Cardiorespiratory fitness, perceived fitness, physical activity, and depressive symptoms improved over time in both groups.

Between-group differences mostly not significant; CAT had larger self-reported physical activity increases.

Improved

Insights

  • A structured SIT option may not undermine motivation or affect when carefully supervised in a clinical setting.
  • Choice between interval and continuous formats may be valuable for adherence-sensitive populations.
  • Affective-response tracking can be useful in app design for hard intervals.

Limitations

  • Short 4-week intervention
  • Inpatient clinical context with usual treatment continuing
  • Strict exclusions limit generalizability
  • No long-term adherence follow-up

Safety

  • During the entire study period, no serious adverse events occurred.
  • The study excluded participants with several major somatic and psychiatric comorbidities.