The news tells us that exercise is helpful,even for treatment-resistant depression. The news also tells us that exercise doesn't affect depression or mood much at all. Or,maybe it does. “Exercise may still be beneficial for patients being treated for an anxiety or depressive disorder,” said the researcher in the latter study.
While it's easy to be flippant about these conflicting reports, it's also good to note that there is a lot of research focused on finding out which treatments will work for which people. It seems that not only may we be genetically predisposed to certain illnesses, we may also be predisposed to certain treatments. Matching the treatment with the genetic profile of the patient will be the next big breakthrough in medicine.
Until then, there's no shortage of advice on what to do or not do, what to take or not take.
While it's easy to be flippant about these conflicting reports, it's also good to note that there is a lot of research focused on finding out which treatments will work for which people. It seems that not only may we be genetically predisposed to certain illnesses, we may also be predisposed to certain treatments. Matching the treatment with the genetic profile of the patient will be the next big breakthrough in medicine.
Until then, there's no shortage of advice on what to do or not do, what to take or not take.
1 comment:
What the researchers meant was that people disinclined to exercise also tend to be depressed. One does not cause the other. Their is no casual relationship between exercise and depression.
What still stands is that exercise can alleviate depression. It can even be an augmentation strategy to treat resistant depression.
See also
http://www.shockmd.com/2007/12/18/3-times-walking-50-minutes-a-week-for-treatment-resistant-depression/
Regards Dr Shock
Post a Comment