The effects of exercise on cognition have been studied more thoroughly in other disorders (eg, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and schizophrenia) than in MDD. There are links and parallels between MDD and these other disorders, however, which suggest that insights might be gained from past work on the effects of exercise on cognition in these other disorders.

From the mechanistic perspective, there are many reasons to believe in the potential for benefits of exercise on cognition in MDD.

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Future studies examining procognitive effects of exercise in MDD should account for important sources of heterogeneity that currently limit data interpretability. These include: clinical heterogeneity with respect to the MDD diagnosis and symptom severity; differences in the tools used to measure cognitive function; and differing exercise modalities and control interventions. Variability in cognitive effects of exercise in comparison to antidepressant medication will also be of interest.

In short, we place importance on identifying future directions that may help better clarify the role of this potentially beneficial intervention for cognition in depression. Given the functional consequences associated with depression-related cognitive impairments, it is essential that the field work toward treatments that target cognitive issues.