Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Exploring How Factors Affecting Exercise Adherence May Inform Strategies To Increase Adherence In General And Depressed Populations: A Literature Review, Henry D. Link

University Honors Theses

Background: Exercise is associated with numerous physical and mental health benefits; however, many people struggle to exercise a sufficient amount and thus do not reap the benefits. Exercise is recognized as an effective treatment for depression with few risks. Professionals must understand the factors affecting exercise adherence to assist individuals of different backgrounds with adhering to exercise over the long term and to avoid common pitfalls that could hinder an individual’s progress.

Objective: This literature review aimed to identify factors affecting exercise adherence and to explore how those factors could inform strategies to increase exercise adherence among depressed …

The Role Of Emotion Regulation In Long-Term Weight Loss Maintenance: A Cross-Sectional Study, Karyn M. Aiello

Graduate Masters Theses

While many weight loss interventions have resulted in significant weight loss, maintaining that weight loss long-term continues to be challenging for most, with long-term weight loss maintenance (LTWLM) rates as low as 20% among participants of clinical weight loss studies. Those who struggle with LTWLM exhibit many shared characteristics, including lower mental health composite scores; high levels of perceived stress; and lower rates of adherence to WLM behaviors. One explanation for this might be that emotion regulation (ER) skills are stronger among those who are successful at LTWLM, and therefore more successful at self-regulating for the goal of LTWLM.

The …

Role Of The Default-Mode Network During Narrative Integration In Major Depressive Disorder, Darren Ri-Sheng Liang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

How brain activity is synchronized across individuals during narrative comprehension has previously been characterized by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in healthy and patient populations. To our knowledge, there has been limited investigation as to how it is affected by major depressive disorder (MDD). We addressed this issue with fMRI through examination of inter-subject synchronization in the default mode network (DMN), brain structures which have previously been implicated in MDD pathology. Twenty-two patients with MDD and 20 matched control participants listened to Intact versus Scrambled versions of an auditory narrative; these experimental conditions differed in the degree of temporal integration …

A Comparison Of The Magnitude Of The Mental Health Benefits Of Exercising Outdoors Vs Exercising Indoors: A Review, Greta M. Rueschmann

MSU Graduate Theses

Many people in the United States suffer from poor mental health which can lead to suicide, self-harm, or negative effects on job performance and relationships. Not everyone can afford traditional therapy nor feels comfortable with it. With a greater emphasis placed on taking care of one’s mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, there should also be a greater emphasis placed on finding alternative types of therapy that can be matched to individuals based on their personalities and preferences. One such alternative is outdoor exercise. This review was conducted to examine whether exercising or performing physical activity outdoors results in greater …

Pilot Testing A Survey Instrument To Evaluate Eaat Professionals' Views On The Effects Of Equine-Assisted Activities And Therapies On Hope And Depression In Court-Involved Youth, Emily Stewart

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Equine Assisted Activity and Therapy (EAAT) programs have proven beneficial for individuals with mental, physical and psychological ailments. Only in the last few years have court systems begun to utilize the complex nature of the human-horse relationship to benefit the lives of court-involved youth. Despite its novelty, the few existing studies in this field yield positive results (Frederick et al., 2015). To address the need for further research in this area, a pilot study was conducted. An exploratory survey was given to EAAT professionals to determine their views on the effects of EAAT programs on hope and depression in court-involved …

A Qualitative Investigation Into The Influence Of A Mental Health Physical Activity Intervention On University Students, Heather M. Tunks

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Objective

Among the university student population, mental illnesses are highly prevalent. Adults aged 20-30 years have the highest rates of mood and anxiety disorders than any other age group, with approximately 12.0% diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and 7.0 to 9.0% experiencing clinical depression (Nunes et al., 2014; Pedrelli, Nyer, Yeung, Zulauf, & Wilens, 2015). Reducing or preventing the effects of mental illness among this population may have lifelong implications including improvements in coping and management of mental illness throughout the lifespan(Jaworska, DeSomma, Fonseka, Heck, & MacQueen, 2016). This research examines the lived experiences of volunteers and participants in a …

Effects Of Multivitamin-Mineral Supplementation On Mental Health Among Young Adults, Ya-Hsuan Chang

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The percentage of young adults who had mental illnesses has increased from 2008 to 2015. However, few existing studies investigating the potential benefits of multivitamin-mineral (MVM) supplementation on mental health focused on young adults (18-24 years of age), whose eating behaviors are often unhealthy. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a MVM supplement on mental health in young adults. One hundred and thirty-three college students (Mage=20.59, SD=1.77; 80.15% female) participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants consumed either a MVM supplement or a placebo for 30 days. The supplement contained B Vitamins, Vitamin C, …

A Link Between Gut Microbes & Depression: Microbial Activation Of The Human Kynurenine Pathway, Christina Cobb

CMC Senior Theses

Our gut microbiota is involved in human development, nutrition, and the pathogenesis of gut disorders, but has more recently been implicated as a possible mechanism in the pathophysiology of several brain disorders, including disorders of mood and affect, such as depression. Researchers have referred to this dynamic, bidirectional signaling pathway between the gut and the brain as the “gut-brain axis.” However, most research on this axis has been limited to rodent studies, and there has been little insight into the mechanism behind it. I propose that the kynurenine pathway, where tryptophan is converted to kynurenine, is a compelling mechanism mediating …

Magnesium Intake And Depression In U.S. Adults, Emily Tarleton

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Research has focused extensively on the negative health effects of inadequate Mg intake, but the extent of the problem of deficiency deserves further exploration. The notion that U.S. adults consume an inadequate amount of magnesium, leading to increased risk for chronic diseases such as depression, is plausible. National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), which are large, cross-sectional, population-based data sets that assess the health and nutritional status of U.S. adults and children, indicate over half the adult population does not consume adequate amounts of magnesium based on the estimated average requirement (EAR) established by the Institute of Medicine. Using …

Does The Use Of Varenicline For Smoking-Cessation Therapy Create Or Increase Depression In Patients Without Existing Depressive Illness?, Brett R. Brown

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not the use of varenicline for smoking-cessation therapy creates or increases depression in patients without existing depressive illness.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of two randomized controlled trials published in 2011 and one observational cohort study published in 2009, all English language.
DATA SOURCES: Two randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trials comparing varenicline to placebo in smoking cessation, and one observational cohort study comparing varenicline use within subjects. All articles were found using PubMed and EBSCO.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Changes in depression was evaluated using the MontgomeryÅsberg Depression Rating Scale …