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Qigong for the treatment of depressive symptoms: Preliminary evidence of neurobiological mechanisms
Author(s) -
Lu Erin Yiqing,
Lee Posen,
Cai Shuhe,
So Wendy Wing Yan,
Ng Bacon Fung Leung,
Jensen Mark P.,
Cheung Wai Ming,
Tsang Hector W. H.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.5380
Subject(s) - randomized controlled trial , depressive symptoms , medicine , depression (economics) , psychology , clinical psychology , serotonin , cognition , physical therapy , psychiatry , receptor , economics , macroeconomics
Objectives Qigong has been shown to effectively reduce depressive symptoms in older adults with chronic physical illness. Here, we sought to evaluate the effects of qigong on serotonin, cortisol, and Brain‐derived Neurotropic Factors (BDNF) levels and test their roles as potential mediators of the effects of qigong on depressive symptoms. Methods Thirty older adults with chronic physical illness participated in a randomized clinical trial. They were randomly assigned to a qigong group (n = 14) or a control group for cognitive training of executive function and memory (n = 16). The participants provided blood and saliva samples at baseline and post‐intervention. Levels of cortisol were measured from the salvia samples, and serotonin and BDNF were measured from the blood samples. Results Consistent with the study findings presented in the primary outcome paper, a significant Group × Time interaction effect emerged on depressive symptoms, explained by greater reductions in the qigong group than the control group. Qigong participants had significantly larger increases in serotonin and BDNF, and decreases in cortisol levels, compared with control group participants. Moreover, treatment‐related changes in cortisol levels (but not serotonin or BDNF) fully mediated the beneficial effects of qigong on depressive symptoms. Conclusion The findings provide preliminary evidence that treatment‐related changes in cortisol may mediate the benefits of qigong on depressive symptoms. Given the limitation of small sample size of the present study, future studies with larger sample sizes and more extended follow‐up assessment are warranted to determine the reliability of these findings.