Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 MSc student of psychology, department of Psychology, faculty of Human Science, Islamic Azad University of Chalous, Iran.
2 MSc student of psychology, department of Psychology, faculty of human science, Islamic Azad University of Chalous, Iran.
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Mazandaran Islamic Azad University
Abstract
Background and purpose: Physical activity is effective on the serum level of the monoamine neurotransmitter dopamine and also reduces psychological disorders such as depression. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of walking on plasma levels of dopamine and the level of depression in elderly women with Alzheimer's disease. Method: In this semi-experimental study, 20 women with Alzheimer's disease with an average age of 73.5 ± 7.72 years who were suffering from moderate to severe depression according to the Beck questionnaire with the opinion of a psychiatrist in a targeted manner and the sample available for were selected to participate in the research. The subjects were randomly divided into two equal groups of 10 people, including the experimental group (walking) and the control group (without regular physical activity). The subjects in the walking group exercised on the treadmill for eight weeks three sessions per week and each session lasted 30-45 minutes with an intensity of 60-75% of the maximum heart rate. Before and after the exercise intervention, blood samples were taken from the cubital vein of all participants in a 12-hour fasting state. Serotonin and dopamine levels were evaluated by ELISA method. The results were extracted using the paired t test and covariance at a significance level of 0.5. Findings: 8 weeks of walking led to a significant increase in dopamine levels (p=0.005) and a significant decrease in depression (p=0.001) in the experimental group compared to the control group. Conclusion: It seems that walking can have positive effects on some neurotransmitters and reduce the level of depression in elderly women with Alzheimer's disease.
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