MAP training: combining meditation and aerobic exercise reduces depression and rumination while enhancing synchronized brain activity
Brandon Alderman, Ryan Olson, C.J. Brush et al.
Combining meditation and aerobic exercise in a single session may be particularly effective for reducing depressive symptoms and rumination. In an 8-week program with two weekly sessions, each consisting of 30 minutes of focused-attention meditation and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, 22 people with major depressive disorder and 30 healthy individuals both reported fewer depressive symptoms afterward. Among those with depression, brain activity measures (N2 and P3 components) increased during a task requiring cognitive control, suggesting enhanced neural responses for detecting and resolving conflicting information. The findings indicate that pairing mental and physical training may improve cognitive control and reduce ruminative thinking beyond the effects of either activity alone.