To explore the effect of moderate intensity physical exercise on depression, anxiety and cognitive function of schizophrenic patients and its possible biochemical mechanism.

Totally 148 patients with schizophrenia who were hospitalized in hospital from March 2019 to March 2021 were randomly divided into control group (n=75) and exercise group (n=73). The patients of the two groups were given drug treatment and routine exercise according to clinical practice, and the patients in exercise group were given additional medium-intensity physical exercise.Self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were used to evaluate the poor mental state of the subjects.The verbal fluency task(VFT), digital span test(DST), trail making test-A(TMT-A) and the positive and negative symptom scale (PANSS) were used to evaluate cognitive function.The levels of endocannabinoids (eCBs) receptors were detected by high performance liquid chromatography, and the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters and eCBs in the patients' serum were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). SPSS 19.0 software was used for statistical analysis.The measurement data between the two groups were compared by t-test and the counting data between the two groups were compared by χ² test.

(1) After effective intervention, the scores of SAS, SDS, TMT-A and PANSS of the two groups were significantly lower than those before intervention, and the difference before and after intervention between the two groups was statistically significant(t=6.00, 6.52, 25.79, 17.03, all P<0.01). The scores of SAS, SDS, TMT-A and PANSS after intervention in the exercise group were significantly lower than those in the control group(t=4.66, 20.88, 6.61, 8.95; all P<0.01). The number of VFT and DST in the two groups after intervention were significantly higher than those before intervention, and the differences before and after intervention between the two groups were statistically significant(t=13.78, 22.76, both P<0.01). After effective intervention, the number of VFT and DST in exercise group were significantly higher than those in the control group(t=5.02, 5.15, both P<0.01). (2) After effective intervention, the contents of monoamine neurotransmitters and eCBs in serum of the two groups were significantly higher than those before intervention, and HVA level ((63.68±6.99) pg/mL), MHPG level ((175.90±16.22) pg/mL), 5-HIAA level ((29.94±4.19) pg/mL) and CBR1 level ((6.70±1.40)μg/L), 2-AG level ((61.90±5.73)pmol/g) and AEA level ((76.48±6.59) pmol/g) in exercise group were significantly higher than those in the control group ((52.97±5.37)pg/mL, (138.50±11.52)pg/mL, (23.87±3.15)pg/mL, (5.71±1.29)μg/L, (52.13±5.14)pmol/g, (67.66±5.88)pmol/g)(t=10.43, 16.21, 10.91, 8.65, all P<0.01).

Moderate intensity physical exercise can significantly improve their depression, anxiety and cognitive function, which may be related to regulating the levels of ECBS and their receptors in patients with chronic schizophrenia to increase monoamine neurotransmitters.

Moderate intensity physical training; Schizophrenia; Depression; Anxiety; Cognitive function; Biochemical mechanism