Effects of short-term exercise training on associated signs and symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Background: No randomized controlled trial has investigated exercise training effects on signs and symptoms that characterize patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Objectives: To quantify and compare the effects of six weeks of resistance (RET) and aerobic exercise training (AET) on signs and symptoms associated with GAD. Methods: Thirty sedentary women, aged 18-37 years, diagnosed by blinded clinicians with a primary DSM-IV diagnosis of GAD, who were not engaged in treatment other than pharmacotherapy, were randomized to six weeks of RET, AET, or wait list (WL). RET involved two weekly sessions of lower-body weightlifting. AET involved two weekly sessions of leg cycling matched with RET on body region, positive work, exercise time, and load progression. Outcomes included concentration difficulty, trait anxiety, symptoms of depression, tension, low vigor, fatigue and confusion, irritability, muscle tension, and pain location and intensity. Hedges' d effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals were calculated at weeks two, four, and six for each exercise condition compared to WL. Results: RET significantly reduced feelings of anxiety-tension and the frequency and intensity of irritability. RET also resulted in six-week Hedges' d effect sizes ≥0.36 for trait anxiety, concentration, symptoms of depression, fatigue and vigor, and pain intensity. AET resulted in comparable improvements in trait anxiety, concentration, irritability, muscle tension, and symptoms of fatigue and vigor. Effects for 9 of 12 outcomes were non-significantly larger for RET compared to AET. Conclusions: Short-term RET and AET provoke comparable improvements in signs and symptoms associated with GAD, particularly irritability, anxiety, low vigor and pain. Findings warrant further investigation. Clinical trial registration: (ClinicalTrials.gov) Identifier: NCT00953654.