Eskilsson T, et al. – A randomized controlled trial was performed with the aim to examine the impacts on cognitive performance and psychological variables of a 12–week aerobic training program performed at a moderate–vigorous intensity for patients with exhaustion disorder who partook in a multimodal rehabilitation program. The authors found that aerobic training at a moderate–vigorous intensity within a multimodal rehabilitation program for patients with exhaustion disorder facilitated episodic memory. They suggested that a future challenge would be the clinical implementation of aerobic training and methods to increase feasibility in this patient group.

Methods

• It was an open-label, parallel, randomized and controlled trial.
• Eighty-eight patients diagnosed with exhaustion disorder took an interest in a 24-week multimodal rehabilitation program.
• After 12 weeks in the program the patients were randomized to either a 12-week aerobic training intervention or to a control group with no additional training.
• Cognitive function was the primary outcome whereas psychological health variables and aerobic capacity were the secondary outcome.

Results

• The analysis in this study showed that 51% patients in the aerobic training group and 78% patients in the control group completed the intervention period.
• It was observed in the findings that the aerobic training group significantly improved in maximal oxygen uptake and episodic memory performance.
• According to the findings obtained, no additional improvement in burnout, depression or anxiety was seen in the aerobic group compared with controls.