Khan MM, Pandey G, Jafar T. Effectiveness of aerobic exercise in psychiatric disorders: Naturopathy has its say. World J Psychiatry 2026; 16(7): 118479 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.118479]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Mohammad M Khan, PhD, Professor, Department of Biotechnology, Era’s Lucknow Medical College & Hospital, and Faculty of Science, Era University, Hardoi Road, Sarfarazganj, Lucknow 226003, Uttar Pradesh, India. mushahid.khan@erauniversity.in
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Psychiatry
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review-article
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Khan MM, Pandey G, Jafar T. Effectiveness of aerobic exercise in psychiatric disorders: Naturopathy has its say. World J Psychiatry 2026; 16(7): 118479 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.118479]
World J Psychiatry. Jul 19, 2026; 16(7): 118479 Published online Jul 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.118479
Effectiveness of aerobic exercise in psychiatric disorders: Naturopathy has its say
Mohammad M Khan, Gauri Pandey, Tabrez Jafar
Mohammad M Khan, Department of Biotechnology, Era’s Lucknow Medical College & Hospital, and Faculty of Science, Era University, Lucknow 226003, Uttar Pradesh, India
Gauri Pandey, Tabrez Jafar, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Era University, Lucknow 226003, Uttar Pradesh, India
Author contributions: Khan MM wrote the draft; Khan MM, Pandey G and Jafar T reviewed the draft and helped with the figure and references.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Author declares no conflict of interest.
Corresponding author: Mohammad M Khan, PhD, Professor, Department of Biotechnology, Era’s Lucknow Medical College & Hospital, and Faculty of Science, Era University, Hardoi Road, Sarfarazganj, Lucknow 226003, Uttar Pradesh, India. mushahid.khan@erauniversity.in
Received: January 4, 2026 Revised: February 20, 2026 Accepted: April 7, 2026 Published online: July 19, 2026 Processing time: 174 Days and 6.1 Hours
Abstract
Aerobic exercise has long been known to improve cardiovascular, metabolic and mental health. While aerobic exercise has been used more frequently in teenagers and young adults to improve cognitive and psychiatric symptoms, recent evidence suggests that it is also effective in older patients. In this regard, clinical trial studies have observed that moderate-intensity aerobic exercise intervention significantly improved clinical, social, and cognitive symptoms of older people with schizophrenia. Working memory, verbal/visual learning, processing speed, and executive function were all improved, while social disability and positive and negative syndrome scale total, positive, negative, and general symptom scores were significantly reduced. Aerobic exercise was found to be an independent predictor of better psychosocial rehabilitation outcomes after controlling for important confounders. Exercise duration showed a linear correlation with improvement in social and cognitive functioning. Aerobic exercise has also been shown to improve cognition and reduce depressive symptoms in adolescents and young and older people with depression. Mechanistically, aerobic exercise has been shown to enhance neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and brain volume in association with improved cognition in laboratory animals. In conclusion, early intervention with moderate-intensity aerobic exercise may correct aberrant signaling pathways that lead to the development of cognitive and psychiatric symptoms in psychiatric disorders.
Core Tip: Aerobic exercise has been shown to improve various domains of cognition, including processing speed, working memory, verbal/visual learning, and executive function. In addition, it has also been shown to effectively reduce psychiatric symptoms, social cognition, and disability in patients with psychiatric disorders (PD). These convincing outcomes of aerobic exercise could be due to its potential regulatory effect on glucose metabolism and improved mitochondrial function, reduced oxidative stress and inflammation. Therefore, aerobic exercise could be integrated as an essential step in the management of PD.
