Resistance training volume for major depressive disorder: the MoveMind randomized controlled trial protocol.

Authors

Giovanni Henrique Quizzini, Jessenia Marise Sales Campos, Thaís Aparecida Medeiros Amorim, Marcelo Augusto Alves Dos Santos, André Felipe Oliveira da Cruz, Mateus Sanches Jokura, Matheus Augusto Martins Correia, Julia Elis Baraldo, Marina Trombetta-Lima, Camila Nascimento, Andrea Deslandes, André Oliveira Werneck, Brendon Stubbs, Hashim Islam, Alberto Jiménez-Maldonado, Felipe Barreto Schuch, Lucas Melo Neves, Fabrício Eduardo Rossi

Published in

Frontiers in physiology. Volume 17. Pages 1943543. Epub Oct 14, 2026.

Abstract

This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the effects of resistance training (RT) volume (high vs. low) and non-exercise group on depressive symptoms, remission rates, adherence and the psychological and neurobiological mechanisms underlying these effects in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). A total of 150 adults (18-59 years) diagnosed with MDD will be randomized into three groups: high-volume RT (HV, n=50; 4 sets of 10-12 repetition maximum [RM]), low-volume RT (LV, n=50; 2 sets of 10-12 RM), and a non-exercise control group (CG, n=50). Participants in the intervention groups will train three non-consecutive days per week for 8 weeks. The primary outcome, depressive symptoms, will be assessed by a psychiatrist using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale. Secondary outcomes will include potential psychological mechanisms (perceived self-efficacy, affective responses to exercise, and well-being), assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and at the 3-month follow-up, and neurobiological mechanisms assessed by inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers related to MDD pathophysiology, including TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, IL-1β, CRP, IGF-1, BDNF, insulin, glucose, and cortisol, measured before and after the intervention. Tertiary outcomes will include dietary intake and ultra-processed food consumption (24-hour dietary recall), body composition (DXA), muscular strength, and sleep quality. Intervention efficacy will be analyzed using intention-to-treat linear mixed-effects models. The findings may contribute to more effective, personalized, and sustainable RT prescriptions that improve adherence and complement conventional treatments for MDD.
https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/, identifier RBR-9tn4ncp.

PMID:
42952510
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 29 Oct 2026.

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