Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Carta Produção Nacional Revisado por pares

BIBTEX RIS

Physical exercise as a coping strategy for people with epilepsy and depression

2013; Elsevier BV; Volume: 29; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.yebeh.2013.08.023

1525-5069

Rodrigo Luiz Vancini, Claudio André Barbosa de Lira, Ricardo Mário Arida,

Infectious Encephalopathies and Encephalitis

A recent study published in Epilepsy & Behavior reported the coping strategies of people with epilepsy [ [1] Bautista R.E. Rundle-Gonzalez V. Awad R.G. Erwin P.A. Determining the coping strategies of individuals with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2013; 27: 286-291 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (28) Google Scholar ]. Because of the benefits already demonstrated of physical exercise in people with epilepsy, it is reasonable to assume that regular physical exercise can be used as a positive coping strategy in people with epilepsy [ [2] Vancini R.L. de Lira C.A. Arida R.M. Physical exercise: potential candidate as coping strategy for people with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2013; 28: 133 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (7) Google Scholar ]. In this regard, we recently addressed considerations in Epilepsy & Behavior about this subject [ [2] Vancini R.L. de Lira C.A. Arida R.M. Physical exercise: potential candidate as coping strategy for people with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2013; 28: 133 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (7) Google Scholar ]. It is interesting to note that the same research group published in the last issue of “Seizure” a preliminary study which demonstrated that depressed people with epilepsy utilize negative coping strategies such as smoking, drinking, and drug abuse more frequently than those who are not depressed [ [3] Bautista R.E. Erwin P.A. Analyzing depression coping strategies of patients with epilepsy: a preliminary study. Seizure. 2013; (in press) PubMed Google Scholar ]. Positive strategies of coping employed by people with epilepsy may incorporate spirituality, emotional support, and meditative techniques [ [4] Livneh H. Wilson L.M. Duchesneau A. Antonak R.F. Psychosocial adaptation to epilepsy: the role of coping strategies. Epilepsy Behav. 2001; 2: 533-544 Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (52) Google Scholar ]. The effects of physical exercise on people with epilepsy, such as improvement of psychological health and decrease of seizure frequency, have been increasingly reported in the literature [ 5 Arida R.M. Cavalheiro E.A. Scorza F.A. From depressive symptoms to depression in people with epilepsy: contribution of physical exercise to improve this picture. Epilepsy Res. 2012; 99: 1-13 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (28) Google Scholar , 6 McAuley J.W. Long L. Heise J. Kirby T. Buckworth J. Pitt C. et al. A prospective evaluation of the effects of a 12-week outpatient exercise program on clinical and behavioral outcomes in patients with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2001; 2: 592-600 Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (123) Google Scholar , 7 Arida R.M. Cavalheiro E.A. da Silva A.C. Scorza F.A. Physical activity and epilepsy: proven and predicted benefits. Sports Med. 2008; 38: 607-615 Crossref PubMed Scopus (94) Google Scholar ]. Unfortunately, they do not usually include physical exercise programs as complementary therapy in their treatments [ 8 Arida R.M. Scorza F.A. Gomes da Silva S. Schachter S.C. Cavalheiro E.A. The potential role of physical exercise in the treatment of epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2010; 17: 432-435 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (53) Google Scholar , 9 Arida R.M. Scorza F.A. Albuquerque M. Cysneiros R.M. de Oliveira R.J. Cavalheiro E.A. Evaluation of physical exercise habits in Brazilian patients with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2003; 4: 507-510 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (65) Google Scholar ]. Indeed, Cairney and collaborators reported that physical exercise for coping with stress is common in the general population [ [10] Cairney J. Kwan M. Veldhuizen S. Faulkner G.E.J. Who uses exercise as a coping strategy for stress? Results from a national survey of Canadians. J Phys Act Health. 2013; (in press) PubMed Google Scholar ]. In this respect, we proposed that regular physical exercise can be a remarkable coping strategy in the treatment of psychological disorders, especially depression, in people with epilepsy [ 2 Vancini R.L. de Lira C.A. Arida R.M. Physical exercise: potential candidate as coping strategy for people with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2013; 28: 133 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (7) Google Scholar , 5 Arida R.M. Cavalheiro E.A. Scorza F.A. From depressive symptoms to depression in people with epilepsy: contribution of physical exercise to improve this picture. Epilepsy Res. 2012; 99: 1-13 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (28) Google Scholar ]. Low levels of physical activity may be considered a risk factor for the development of depression and can play an important role in the health status and quality of life of individuals with epilepsy [ 11 de Lima C. de Lira C.A. Arida R.M. Andersen M.L. Matos G. de Figueiredo Ferreira Guilhoto L.M. et al. Association between leisure time, physical activity, and mood disorder levels in individuals with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2013; 28: 47-51 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (42) Google Scholar , 12 Nakken K.O. Bjorholt P.G. Johannessen S.I. Loyning T. Lind E. Effect of physical training on aerobic capacity, seizure occurrence, and serum level of antiepileptic drugs in adults with epilepsy. Epilepsia. 1990; 31: 88-94 Crossref PubMed Scopus (152) Google Scholar ]. Since exercise can exert a positive impact on psychological state and seizure control, it seems plausible that health professionals recommend and encourage physical exercise programs as complementary treatment and depression coping strategy for people with epilepsy.