Exercise before therapy to boost depression treatment
ActiveCBT for depression: Transforming treatment through exercise priming
Adults with major depression will do 30 minutes of moderate exercise or quiet rest before weekly CBT to help therapy work better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11327901 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join an 8-week program in which 40 adults with major depressive disorder are randomly assigned to do 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or quiet rest immediately before a weekly CBT session. Researchers will track mood, motivation, attention, and biological markers like BDNF before and after sessions to look for short-term and longer-term changes. The approach uses a post-exercise window—about 75 minutes—when prior work shows increased neuroplasticity and improved mood to potentially make CBT more effective. All sessions and assessments are conducted in person at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 and older diagnosed with major depressive disorder who can safely perform moderate aerobic exercise are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who cannot do moderate exercise because of medical, mobility, or safety reasons, or whose depression requires a different primary treatment, may not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make CBT work better for more people with depression and reduce relapse risk.
How similar studies have performed: Preliminary and pilot work (including an n=10 feasibility trial) show short-term mood and BDNF improvements after exercise, but the exercise-before-CBT strategy has not yet been tested in a larger randomized trial.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Meyer, Jacob D — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Meyer, Jacob D
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.