The Impact of Single Sessions of Aerobic Exercise at Varying Intensities on Depressive Symptoms in College Students: Evidence from Resting-State EEG in the Frontal Cortex

The Impact of Single Sessions of Aerobic Exercise at Varying Intensities on Depressive Symptoms in College Students: Evidence from Resting-State EEG in the Frontal Cortex | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article The Impact of Single Sessions of Aerobic Exercise at Varying Intensities on Depressive Symptoms in College Students: Evidence from Resting-State EEG in the Frontal Cortex Cong Liu, Shuqi Jia, Xiang Wang, Xing Wang, Xingze Wang This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5053017/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 18 Dec, 2024 Read the published version in BMC Psychiatry → Version 1 posted 4 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background The incidence of depression among college students is increasingly high, significantly impacting their daily lives. This study aims to utilize electroencephalography (EEG) to assess the effects of varying intensities of single-session aerobic exercise on depression symptoms in college students. Objective This study aimed to explore the effects of single sessions of aerobic exercise at varying intensities on depressive symptoms in college students through changes in BDI-II (Beck Depression Inventory-II) scores and resting-state EEG lateralization. Methods Depressed college students were randomly assigned to low, moderate, high-intensity exercise, and control groups. The study investigated the relationship between BDI-II scores and resting-state EEG frontal cortex lateralization and the impact of single sessions of aerobic exercise at different intensities on depressive symptoms. Results BDI-II scores were negatively correlated with frontal α2 (P < 0.01) and β1 (P < 0.05) lateralization in depressed students. Low-intensity exercise significantly reduced BDI-II scores (P < 0.05). Moderate-intensity exercise resulted in significant changes in BDI-II scores (P < 0.001), α2 lateralization (P = 0.002), and β1 lateralization (P = 0.006). Post-test comparisons showed significant differences in BDI-II (P = 0.048), α2 (P = 0.002), and β1 (P = 0.041) compared to the control group, and differences in α2 (P = 0.021) and β1 (P = 0.041) compared to the low-intensity group. High-intensity exercise also significantly altered BDI-II scores (P < 0.001) and α2 (P = 0.035). Post-test comparisons showed differences in BDI-II compared to low-intensity (P < 0.001), moderate-intensity (P = 0.01), and control groups (P < 0.001), and differences in α2 compared to the control group (P = 0.011). BDI-II changes were negatively correlated with changes in α2 (P < 0.01) and β1 (P < 0.05). Conclusion All intensities of single-session aerobic exercise can improve depressive symptoms in college students according to BDI-II scores. From the perspective of resting-state EEG frontal cortex lateralization, moderate and high-intensity exercise can improve depressive symptoms, with moderate intensity showing the most significant effect. The improvement in depressive symptoms is associated with increased frontal cortex synchronization. Single-session aerobic exercise Depressive symptoms College students Lateralization Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Background Depression is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a persistently low mood, with high rates of recurrence and suicide. Globally, approximately 300 million people suffer from depression, with over 95 million cases in China and a lifetime prevalence of 6.9%. It is projected that the economic burden of depression will become the leading cause worldwide by 2030[ 1 ]. College students are a high-risk group for depression, with prevalence rates of depressive symptoms reported as 24.71% in China, 27.8% in Italy, and 44% in the United States [ 2 – 4 ]. Additionally, around 33.48% of college students with depressive symptoms engage in self-harm[ 5 ]. This condition not only severely impacts students' physical and mental health but also increases the risk of dropout and suicide[ 6 ]. Resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) is a technique that captures cortical neural activity to reflect emotion-related physiological and pathological states, and it is now widely used in the assessment and intervention of depression. Studies have shown that individuals with depression often exhibit frontal lobe lateralization in resting-state EEG signals[ 7 , 8 ], with frontal lobe lateralization markers serving as objective neural indicators for diagnosing depression [ 9 ]. Additionally, research has found that in depressed individuals or those with a history of depression, parietal α asymmetry contrasts with frontal lobe patterns, showing reduced activity in the right parietal region [ 10 ]. However, some studies have not observed reduced activity in the right parietal region of depressed patients [ 11 , 12 ]. Furthermore, other research has indicated excessive activation of the right parietal region in patients with depression accompanied by anxiety [ 12 ]. In clinical practice, antidepressant medications are not recommended for treating depressive symptoms in college students[ 13 , 14 ]. Most clinicians suggest improving symptoms through non-pharmacological methods, with exercise being widely utilized due to its minimal side effects and practical applicability. Brush et al. found that a single 30-minute session of aerobic exercise significantly improved positive emotions in young individuals with depressive symptoms[ 15 ]. Korman et al. further discovered that high-intensity exercise was more beneficial than moderate-intensity exercise in alleviating depression[ 16 ]. The improvement in depressive symptoms among college students may be linked to exercise-induced changes in brain structure and function. Exercise can increase the proliferation and differentiation of hippocampal neural stem cells and enhance the volume of cortical areas. The hippocampus, by modulating the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, helps establish connections between other limbic systems and the prefrontal cortex, thus influencing depression[ 17 ].The parietal cortical areas are associated with language and visuospatial functions, and exercise can increase power values in the left and right parietal regions[ 18 ], promoting interhemispheric synchronization and improving depressive symptoms. Previous research has also shown that the effect of exercise on depression is related to exercise intensity[ 19 , 20 ]. Norris et al. demonstrated that high-intensity exercise was more effective than moderate-intensity exercise in improving depressive moods in adolescents[ 21 ]. Balchin et al. indicated that both moderate and high-intensity exercise could improve depressive symptoms, while low-intensity exercise showed no improvement[ 22 ]. By reviewing the literature, we found that frontal lobe resting-state EEG lateralization can be used to assess patients with depression or individuals with depressive symptoms. Single-session exercise can improve depressive mood in these individuals. However, the effects of exercise on parietal resting-state EEG lateralization and depressive symptoms are not consistent, and the impact of different exercise intensities on depressive symptoms remains ambiguous. This study is the sixth year of our team's decade-long project. Preliminary research has identified three specific types of depressive symptoms in college students: emotional states, cognitive states, and suicidal ideation or self-harm. Exercise has been shown to be an effective measure for preventing depression in college students, with different exercise regimens required for varying levels of depressive symptoms. Compared to their non-depressed peers, college students with depressive symptoms exhibit specific resting-state EEG characteristics. Specifically, there are negative correlations between frontal δ (Delta), θ (Theta), α1 (Alpha1), α2 (Alpha2), β1 (Beta1) lateralization and SDS (Self-Rating Depression Scale) scores, while no correlation is observed with β2 (Beta2)[ 23 ]. Additionally, physical activity levels are associated with SDS scores and frontal α lateralization in students with mild depressive symptoms[ 24 ], and different types of physical activity can modulate the relationship between depressive symptoms and resting-state EEG indicators. Furthermore, we have found that single-session high-intensity interval exercise can improve mood and frontal α lateralization in college students with depressive symptoms[ 25 ]. Based on this, the present study will further investigate whether BDI-II(Beck Depression Inventory-II) scores in college students with depressive symptoms are related to lateralization of different frequency bands in the parietal region during resting-state EEG. The study aims to identify specific indicators in the parietal region for these students and assess the impact of single-session exercise at varying intensities on their depressive symptoms, with the goal of providing clinical reference. Methods Subjects were recruited in Songjiang University Town, Shanghai. Inclusion Criteria:(1) Aged 17–25 years and right-handed. (2) Non-physical education majors.(3) No history of psychiatric disorders. (4) Not currently taking benzodiazepines, chloral hydrate, or other similar medications. (5) No contraindications to exercise. (6) Signed informed consent. (7) BDI-II score of 14 or higher. Exclusion Criteria: (1) Consumption of caffeine or alcoholic beverages within 24 hours prior to exercise. (2) Engagement in vigorous physical activity before testing. (3) Severe musculoskeletal disorders. Participants were informed about the experimental procedures and signed an informed consent form. The study adhered to the latest ethical guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and received approval from the Shanghai University of Sport Ethics Committee (Approval No.: 102772023RT075). It was reviewed at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on August 7, 2024(ChiCTR2400087920). See Fig. 1 for the recruitment flow chart. Experimental Procedure Electronic questionnaires were distributed via Wenjuanxing to students from two universities in Songjiang University Town. Students completed a basic information form and BDI-II screening to identify those meeting the inclusion criteria, who were subsequently briefed on the study. All included students were required to visit the laboratory twice. During the first visit, participants were informed about the experimental procedures, signed the informed consent form, and underwent baseline resting-state EEG recording. The second visit was separated from the first visit for 72 hours to complete the intervention and the resting EEG acquisition after the intervention, as illustrated in Fig. 2 . A total of 80 eligible college students were initially recruited for the study. In the low-intensity exercise group, 3 participants withdrew: 2 were excluded due to missing EEG data, and 1 withdrew for not completing the post-test. In the moderate-intensity exercise group, 1 participant withdrew due to incomplete treadmill exercise. In the high-intensity exercise group, 3 participants withdrew: 2 were excluded due to lost EEG data, and 1 withdrew for not completing the treadmill exercise. In the control group, 3 participants withdrew: 1 due to a personal emergency, 1 for leaving during the sitting period, and 1 due to lost EEG data. Ultimately, 70 participants were included in the final analysis. Intervention Methods Exercise format: The aerobic exercise was conducted on a digital treadmill manufactured by Tecnobody, Italy. Exercise intensity: Before the exercise, the participant's heart rate was measured with the Polar-H10 heart rate band. Exercise intensity was calculated according to HRmax = 207 − 0.7× age. The low-intensity group first performed a 5-minute warm-up, and at the end of the warm-up, the low-intensity target heart rate was 57%-64%HRmax, and the monitoring exercise lasted for 20 minutes. Finally, the low-intensity group performed a 5-minute finishing exercise below the target heart rate. The moderate intensity group performed a 5-minute warm-up, and at the end of the warm-up, the moderate intensity target heart rate of 65%-76%HRmax was reached, and the monitoring exercise lasted for 20 minutes. Finally, the group performed a 5-minute finishing exercise below the target heart rate. The high-intensity group first performed a 5-minute warm-up, and at the end of the warm-up, the high-intensity target heart rate 77%-95%HRmax lasted for 20 minutes and finally performed a 5-minute warm-up exercise below the target heart rate. Exercise Duration: 30 minutes total, including 5 minutes warm-up, 20 minutes running on a treadmill, and 5 minutes relaxing. The control group was asked to sit quietly in a quiet room for 30 minutes. Experimental control: subjects wore comfortable sportswear; No diet was performed 1 hour before exercise and no strenuous exercise was performed for 24 hours. Tools of experiment (1)Self-made basic information table. It mainly included the subjects' age, gender, student number, height, weight, grade, major, right-handed or not, medication, and disease history. (2)BDI-II.The scale can be used to divide depressive symptoms into no depressive symptoms, mild depressive symptoms, moderate depressive symptoms, and severe depressive symptoms. The scoring criteria are ≤ 13, 14–19, 20–28, and 29–63, respectively. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.86. (3)EEG data were recorded using the NCERP-190012 EEG topography device from Shanghai Norcent Electric Co., Ltd. This equipment employs 16 monopolar electrodes with a preamplifier, a sampling frequency of 500 Hz, high-pass filter at 0.3 Hz, low-pass filter at 30 Hz, and notch filter at 50 Hz. Frequency bands are defined as follows: δ (1–4 Hz), θ (4–8 Hz), α1 (8-10.5 Hz), α2 (10.5–13 Hz), β1 (13–20 Hz), and β2 (20–30 Hz), with critical values in the high-frequency range. Electrodes were placed according to the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology's 10/20 system, including Fp1, Fp2, F3, F4, F7, F8, C3, C4, P3, P4, O1, O2, T3, T4, T5, T6, with grounding electrode at GND and reference electrodes at the bilateral earlobes (A1 and A2)[ 26 ]. Testing was conducted in a well-ventilated, soundproof dark room. Participants were instructed to familiarize themselves with the environment and adjust their seating posture upon arrival. During the test, participants were required to remain relaxed with steady breathing, hands resting naturally by their sides, eyes closed, avoiding teeth clenching and swallowing, and maintaining alertness. EEG recordings commenced once the waveforms stabilized. All tests were conducted by trained researchers who were blinded to the group assignments. Statistical Analysis Matlab was used to process the EEG data. Lateralization of the left and right parietal regions (P3 and P4) was calculated =(P4-P3)/ (P4 + P3). Statistical analysis and mapping were performed using SPSS and GraphPad Prism, respectively. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the continuous variables in the four groups, and the chi-square test was used for categorical variables. Changes in lateralization across the four groups were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. To address the issue of multiple comparisons and reduce the risk of Type I errors, Bonferroni correction was applied. Spearman was used for correlation analysis because the data were significantly skewed. p < 0.05, p < 0.01 and p < 0.001 were used with "*" and "**" respectively to represent the difference was statistically significant. Results Basic Information From Table 1 , it is evident that there are no statistically significant differences among the four groups in terms of age, sex, height, weight, BMI, academic year, handedness, or BDI-II scores, with all p-values being > 0.05. Table 1 Basic information Basic information Low group ( n = 17) Moderate group ( n = 19) High group( n = 17) Control group ( n = 17) F P Age(year) 19.65 ± 0.79 19.74 ± 1.522 20.0 ± 1.275 19.53 ± 0.943 0.49 0.691 Gender X 2 = 2.67 0.445 Male 5 5 2 6 Female 12 14 15 11 Height(cm) 167.66 ± 5.89 166.15 ± 8.33 164.2 ± 8.02 170.04 ± 8.25 1.74 0.167 Weight(Kg) 58.35 ± 11.60 57.95 ± 12.87 55.6 ± 14.43 59.88 ± 10.18 0.34 0.797 BMI(Kg/m 2 ) 20.72 ± 3.90 20.86 ± 3.27 20.50 ± 4.00 20.66 ± 2.88 0.03 0.992 Grade Level X 2 = 7.51 0.585 Freshman 10 11 6 7 Sophomore 4 5 8 9 Junior 3 2 2 1 Senior 0 1 1 0 Right-handed Yes Yes Yes Yes BDI-II(score) 19.12 ± 4.27 18.16 ± 3.79 17.35 ± 3.86 19.06 ± 5.58 0.61 0.609 Correlation Between Regional EEG Asymmetry Across Frequency Bands and BDI-II Scores in Students with Depressive Symptoms According to Table 2 and Fig. 3 , there is a significant negative correlation between parietal α2 asymmetry and BDI-II scores (p < 0.01), indicating that increased α2 asymmetry is associated with higher depressive symptoms. Similarly, parietal β1 asymmetry also shows a negative correlation with BDI-II scores, which is statistically significant (p 0.05). Table 2 Correlation Coefficients between Parietal Asymmetry in Various Frequency Bands and BDI-II Scores δ θ α1 α2 β1 β2 BDI-II -0.116 -0.143 -0.131 -0.301 * -0.252 * -0.156 Note:“*”P<0.05. The Effect of Single-session Exercise on Parietal α2 Asymmetry Repeated measures analysis revealed a significant time × group interaction effect (F = 4.320, P = 0.008). Simple effects analysis showed that there were no significant differences in α2 asymmetry among the four groups at baseline (P > 0.05). At post-test, significant differences were observed between the moderate-intensity group and the low-intensity group (difference = 0.06, 95% CI = 0.009, 0.104, P = 0.021), between the moderate-intensity group and the control group (difference = 0.08, 95% CI = 0.030, 0.130, P = 0.002), and between the high-intensity group and the control group (difference = 0.068, 95% CI = 0.016, 0.119, P = 0.011). Additionally, significant changes were found in α2 asymmetry from pre-test to post-test in the moderate-intensity group (difference = 0.094, 95% CI = 0.035, 0.153, P = 0.002) and the high-intensity group (difference = 0.067, 95% CI = 0.005, 0.130, P = 0.035). See Table 3 and Fig. 4 . Table 3 Descriptive statistics of α2 lateralization in the parietal region before and after exercise in the four groups Low group Moderate group High group Control group Before After Before After Before After Before After α2 lateralization 0.025± 0.088 0.049± 0.067 0.083± 0.157 0.011± 0.083 0.069± 0.138 0.002± 0.093 0.037± 0.051 0.069± 0.051 Impact of Single-Session Exercise on Parietal β1 Asymmetry The repeated measures analysis revealed a significant time × group interaction effect on parietal β1 asymmetry (F = 3.55, P = 0.019). Simple effects analysis indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in β1 asymmetry among the four groups at baseline (P > 0.05). At post-test, significant differences were found between the moderate-intensity group and the control group (difference = 0.073, 95% CI = 0.003, 0.143, P = 0.041), as well as between the moderate-intensity group and the low-intensity group (difference = 0.072, 95% CI = 0.002, 0.141, P = 0.041). Additionally, there was a significant difference in β1 asymmetry in the moderate-intensity group from pre-test to post-test (difference = 0.101, 95% CI = 0.030, 0.173, P = 0.006). See Table 4 and Fig. 5 . Table 4 Descriptive statistics of β1 lateralization in the parietal region before and after exercise in the four groups Low group Moderate group High group Control group Before After Before After Before After Before After β1 lateralization 0.043± 0.083 0.073± 0.075 0.103± 0.162 0.001± 0.116 0.099± 0.160 0.032± 0.108 0.035± 0.108 0.074± 0.114 Changes in BDI-II Scores Following a Single Session of Exercise The repeated measures analysis revealed a significant main effect between subjects (F = 3.282, P = 0.026). Post-hoc tests indicated significant differences between the high-intensity group and both the low-intensity group (difference = -3.62, P = 0.016) and the moderate-intensity group (difference = -4.24, P = 0.005). The interaction effect of time × group was significant (F = 19.13, P < 0.001). Simple effects analysis showed that, at post-test, the moderate-intensity group had a significant difference from the control group (difference = -2.93, P = 0.048). The high-intensity group demonstrated significant differences compared to the low-intensity group (difference = -5.47, P < 0.001), the moderate-intensity group (difference = -3.84, P = 0.01), and the control group (difference = -6.77, P < 0.001). Significant changes were observed from pre-test to post-test in the low-intensity group (difference = -1.59, P = 0.002), the moderate-intensity group (difference = -2.26, P < 0.001), and the high-intensity group (difference = -5.29, P 0.05). For detailed results, refer to Table 5 and Fig. 6 . Table 5 BDI-II Descriptive statistics before and after exercise for the four groups Low group Moderate group High group Control group Before After Before After Before After Before After BDI-II 19.12 ± 4.27 17.53 ± 3.94 18.16 ± 3.79 15.89 ± 3.60 17.35 ± 3.86 12.06 ± 4.32 19.06 ± 5.58 18.82 ± 5.41 Correlation Between BDI-II and Changes in α2 and β1 According to Table 6 and Fig. 7 , the change value of α2 was negatively correlated with the change value of BDI-II and was statistically significant (P < 0.01), and the change value of β2 was negatively correlated with the change value of BDI-II and was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Table 6 Correlation coefficients of α2 and β1 with the change values of BDI-II scores α2 β1 BDI-II -0.308** -0.258* Discussion This study found that BDI-II scores in college students are correlated with parietal α2 and β1 asymmetry, indicating that α2 and β1 may serve as electrophysiological indicators of depressive symptoms in this population. Although previous research by our team did not find a correlation between SDS (Self-Rating Depression Scale) scores and parietal asymmetry in individuals with depressive symptoms[ 23 ], similar findings have been reported in other studies involving depressive patients. For instance, existing research has shown that not only do depressed patients exhibit asymmetry in parietal α rhythms[ 27 ], but also their offspring display similar asymmetry in α rhythms[ 28 ]. Currently, studies on parietal asymmetry in depressive patients or individuals with depressive symptoms report three main outcomes: right parietal asymmetry, left parietal asymmetry, or the absence of asymmetry[ 28 – 30 ]. Variations in parietal asymmetry findings can be attributed to factors such as the severity of depression, handedness, gender, age, medication, recent caffeine consumption, and comorbidities[ 31 ]. Therefore, future research should aim to control for these variables to better understand their impact on parietal asymmetry. We found that different intensities of single-session exercise have varying effects on college students with depressive symptoms. Low-intensity exercise led to improvements only in BDI-II scores, without affecting the α2 and β1 asymmetry that correlates with BDI-II scores. Meyer et al. reported that single-session low, moderate, and high-intensity exercises all improved depressive symptoms in patients, with no significant differences among the intensities[ 32 ]. However, other studies have reported different findings. For example, Balchin et al. conducted a 6-week aerobic exercise program with low, moderate, and high intensities, three times per week, and found that low-intensity exercise did not improve depressive symptoms, whereas moderate and high-intensity exercises showed significant improvements[ 22 ]. The discrepancy between our findings and those of previous studies may be attributed to differences in depression severity and assessment tools. Our study involved college students with depressive symptoms rather than clinically diagnosed depression patients. Additionally, we utilized more objective electrophysiological indicators related to BDI-II scores, rather than subjective rating scales. This methodological difference may account for the variance in results. Exercise may induce changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF), with moderate increases in BDNF promoting neurogenesis in regions like the hippocampus, enhancing brain plasticity, and improving cognitive function, thus exerting antidepressant effects[ 33 ]. Low-intensity exercise might not elicit such changes in these substances or stimulate the nervous system sufficiently, which could explain the lack of improvement in parietal asymmetry observed in our study[ 34 ]. This study indicates that both moderate and high-intensity exercises can improve the asymmetry of α2 and β1 in college students with depressive symptoms, with moderate intensity proving most effective, thus corroborating previous research. Meyer et al. found that a single session of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise significantly improved anhedonia and depressive mood in depressed patients[ 35 ]. Dunn et al. reported that moderate-intensity exercise yielded the most substantial improvements in depression among middle-aged and older adults compared to low-intensity exercise[ 36 ]. Paolucci et al. found that both high-intensity interval exercise and moderate-intensity continuous exercise improved depressive symptoms in college students, but moderate-intensity exercise was more effective in reducing tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels, whereas high-intensity exercise increased perceived stress and TNF-α levels[ 37 ]. Schuch et al. observed similar findings in elderly patients, where moderate-intensity exercise significantly improved depressive symptoms, while high-intensity exercise did not[ 38 ]. Our results show that high-intensity exercise notably improved α2 asymmetry but did not significantly affect β1 asymmetry. β rhythms are generally associated with cortical excitability, and high-intensity exercise, with its substantial physiological demands, can lead to neuromuscular fatigue and metabolic disturbances, which may contribute to increased stress and resource depletion[ 39 ]. This could explain the lack of significant improvement in β1 asymmetry. Additionally, we found that changes in BDI-II scores are associated with changes in α2 and β1 asymmetry. This suggests that the antidepressant effects of exercise might be linked to enhanced bilateral hemisphere coordination in the brain, which could improve cerebral asymmetry. Limitations and Future Directions The study's participants were identified through BDI-II screening for depressive symptoms but were not clinically diagnosed. Future research should combine BDI-II screening with clinical evaluations to enhance the precision of the findings. This study assessed changes in depressive symptoms using parietal lobe laterality, but this measure can be influenced by various factors. Future studies should control for additional potential variables to ensure the scientific validity of the results. Additionally, while this study focused solely on the parietal lobe, depressive symptoms affect multiple brain regions. Future research should explore changes in other brain areas to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of exercise on depression. Conclusion From the perspective of BDI-II scores, single-session aerobic exercise of varying intensities is effective in alleviating depressive symptoms among university students. In terms of resting-state EEG parietal lobe lateralization, both moderate and high-intensity aerobic exercise demonstrate improvements in depressive symptoms, with moderate-intensity exercise yielding the most favorable results. Additionally, the improvement in depressive symptoms among university students is associated with enhanced parietal lobe synchronization. These findings highlight the efficacy of moderate-intensity exercise in improving depressive symptoms and suggest that exercise-induced changes in parietal lobe lateralization may play a role in this therapeutic effect. Declarations Author contributions Conception and design: C L, X W. Development of methodology: SQ J, X W. Analysis and interpretation of data: SQ J, XZ W. Writing of the manuscript: C L, SQ J. Study supervision: X W. Funding Empirical Study on Key Technologies of AI Assisted Intervention for Individualized Sports Health Behavior(2020YFC2007205) Data availability Please contact the corresponding author if required. Email: wangxing [email protected] . Ethics approval and consent to participate All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments. It was approved by the ethics committee of Shanghai University of Sports (Approval No.: 102772023RT075). Written informed consent was gained from all patients; all participants were informed that they could withdraw at any point during the trial. This study was regis‑tered prospectively at the Chinese Clinical Tria Registry (www.chictr.org.cn). Trial registration: ChiCTR2400087920 Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. 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Resting EEG based disorders in the anterior and posterior brain in depression. CAAI Trans Intell Syst. 2014;9(02):168–73. Bruder GE, Stewart JW, McGrath PJ. Right brain, left brain in depressive disorders: Clinical and theoretical implications of behavioral, electrophysiological and neuroimaging findings. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2017;78:178–91. Bruder GE, Bansal R, Tenke CE, Liu J, Hao X, Warner V, Peterson BS, Weissman MM. Relationship of resting EEG with anatomical MRI measures in individuals at high and low risk for depression. Hum Brain Mapp. 2012;33(6):1325–33. Tomarken AJ, Dichter GS, Garber J, Simien C. Resting frontal brain activity: linkages to maternal depression and socio-economic status among adolescents. Biol Psychol. 2004;67(1–2):77–102. Field T, Diego M. Maternal depression effects on infant frontal EEG asymmetry. Int J Neurosci. 2008;118(8):1081–108. Kaiser AK, Gnjezda MT, Knasmüller S, Aichhorn W. Electroencephalogram alpha asymmetry in patients with depressive disorders: current perspectives. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2018;14:1493–504. Meyer JD, Koltyn KF, Stegner AJ, Kim JS, Cook DB. Influence of Exercise Intensity for Improving Depressed Mood in Depression: A Dose-Response Study. Behav Ther. 2016;47(4):527–37. Luo L, Li C, Du X, Shi Q, Huang Q, Xu X, Wang Q. Effect of aerobic exercise on BDNF/proBDNF expression in the ischemic hippocampus and depression recovery of rats after stroke. Behav Brain Res. 2019;362:323–31. ZD C, WT J, Q W. Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of acute physical exercise on executive function in middle-aged and elderly people. CHINA SPORT Sci Technol. 2020;56(09):45–57. Meyer JD, Murray TA, Brower CS, Cruz-Maldonado GA, Perez ML, Ellingson LD, Wade NG. Magnitude, timing and duration of mood state and cognitive effects of acute moderate exercise in major depressive disorder. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2022;61:102172. Dunn AL, Trivedi MH, Kampert JB, Clark CG, Chambliss HO. Exercise treatment for depression: efficacy and dose response. Am J Prev Med. 2005;28(1):1–8. Paolucci EM, Loukov D, Bowdish DME, Heisz JJ. Exercise reduces depression and inflammation but intensity matters. Biol Psychol. 2018;133:79–84. Schuch FB, Vancampfort D, Rosenbaum S, Richards J, Ward PB, Veronese N, Solmi M, Cadore EL, Stubbs B. Exercise for depression in older adults: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials adjusting for publication bias. Revista brasileira de psiquiatria (Sao Paulo Brazil: 1999). 2016;38(3):247–54. YZ L, YJ L, YT Y. A meta- analysis of effects of high intensity Interval training and moderate intensity continuous training on inhibition function. J Capital Univ Phys Educ Sports. 2024;36(01):105–16. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 18 Dec, 2024 Read the published version in BMC Psychiatry → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 17 Sep, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 16 Sep, 2024 Submission checks completed at journal 16 Sep, 2024 First submitted to journal 08 Sep, 2024 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5053017","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":355001045,"identity":"575f112e-3cd3-4797-acc6-1e676742083d","order_by":0,"name":"Cong Liu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shanghai University of Sport","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Cong","middleName":"","lastName":"Liu","suffix":""},{"id":355001046,"identity":"659793cb-23f6-4ce1-bed4-a987a10701ac","order_by":1,"name":"Shuqi Jia","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shanghai University of Sport","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Shuqi","middleName":"","lastName":"Jia","suffix":""},{"id":355001047,"identity":"d9a0b1b8-735e-4a8c-b9c5-a89f59e4da66","order_by":2,"name":"Xiang Wang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shanghai University of Sport","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xiang","middleName":"","lastName":"Wang","suffix":""},{"id":355001048,"identity":"157c07ca-9f3c-45b7-9335-97793f1fb0bb","order_by":3,"name":"Xing Wang","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABAElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYNACAwYGNvb2ww8+wLnEaOHjOZNmOIN4LUAgJ5FgIM1DjBaD42cPv+YpuGPXJpGQYGzz57A9A3vzNgmGmju4tZzJS7OcYfAsuY3n4YHHuW2HExt4jpVJMBx7hlOL2YEcM4MPBoeT2diBtuQ2HE5gkMgxk2BsOIxby/k3ZgYJIC0MQL9YgBwm/4aAlhs5xg+AttixcQC1MLAdZmyQ4MGvxf7GGzPGGQaHE9hAgdzblp7YxpNWbJFwDLcWyf4c4888QPfItwOj8scfa3t+9sMbb3yowa0FCNgkgERiA5wLIhLwaWBgYAYlE3v8akbBKBgFo2BEAwDKZVZHy/E9BQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Shanghai University of Sport","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xing","middleName":"","lastName":"Wang","suffix":""},{"id":355001049,"identity":"12b6cae6-8625-452b-a056-94f5aec831ac","order_by":4,"name":"Xingze Wang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Huzhou University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xingze","middleName":"","lastName":"Wang","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-09-08 14:10:17","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5053017/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5053017/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06322-w","type":"published","date":"2024-12-18T15:58:21+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":68425934,"identity":"c50b00eb-523b-4a1a-8b5b-6b3f099e24f2","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-11-07 07:05:45","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":67035,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eRecruitment flow chart\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"image1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5053017/v1/fd0e4384aecbb2e71c6aa146.png"},{"id":68427107,"identity":"69430669-c455-4a5e-801b-c6b3eb82effc","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-11-07 07:13:45","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":78613,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eExperimental flow chart\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"image2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5053017/v1/a739e451154584b242d8b862.png"},{"id":68427104,"identity":"0bb96720-5cd7-4c35-a760-7aa43543955d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-11-07 07:13:45","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":149853,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eRelationship between each frequency band in the top region and BDI-II\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"image3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5053017/v1/1c092bcf08cedbb14c81604a.png"},{"id":68427343,"identity":"e1932da1-41fc-4a33-bb3f-6115d3b6e2cb","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-11-07 07:21:45","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":35692,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eEffect of acute exercise on α2 lateralization in the parietal region\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"image4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5053017/v1/6306273abcf595725e8c6281.png"},{"id":68427344,"identity":"274eb77e-2de2-440b-adca-01676872c612","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-11-07 07:21:45","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":41199,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eThe effect of acute exercise on β1 lateralization in the parietal region\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"image5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5053017/v1/cb9098dc6de1e391aedc7d6e.png"},{"id":68425941,"identity":"26070c64-d92a-46b9-a55f-eaa4423d41ea","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-11-07 07:05:45","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":28681,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eEffects of Single Session of Exercise on BDI-II\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"image6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5053017/v1/1fa785047736a8f53d1d5336.png"},{"id":68427103,"identity":"995c7a63-5bc4-422c-aa41-3ef9d3122a72","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-11-07 07:13:45","extension":"png","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":64269,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eRelationship between BDI-II and the change values of α2 and β1\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"image7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5053017/v1/b36c6a9c1ca2f26f4ccc1541.png"},{"id":72202591,"identity":"3dae614d-17dd-4746-9fe0-5ba5c441d135","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-12-23 16:14:59","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1092144,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5053017/v1/e5f17c24-ce33-4848-8c80-2b2334f93571.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"The Impact of Single Sessions of Aerobic Exercise at Varying Intensities on Depressive Symptoms in College Students: Evidence from Resting-State EEG in the Frontal Cortex","fulltext":[{"header":"Background","content":"\u003cp\u003eDepression is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a persistently low mood, with high rates of recurrence and suicide. Globally, approximately 300\u0026nbsp;million people suffer from depression, with over 95\u0026nbsp;million cases in China and a lifetime prevalence of 6.9%. It is projected that the economic burden of depression will become the leading cause worldwide by 2030[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e]. College students are a high-risk group for depression, with prevalence rates of depressive symptoms reported as 24.71% in China, 27.8% in Italy, and 44% in the United States [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR3\" citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. Additionally, around 33.48% of college students with depressive symptoms engage in self-harm[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]. This condition not only severely impacts students' physical and mental health but also increases the risk of dropout and suicide[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eResting-state electroencephalography (EEG) is a technique that captures cortical neural activity to reflect emotion-related physiological and pathological states, and it is now widely used in the assessment and intervention of depression. Studies have shown that individuals with depression often exhibit frontal lobe lateralization in resting-state EEG signals[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e], with frontal lobe lateralization markers serving as objective neural indicators for diagnosing depression [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]. Additionally, research has found that in depressed individuals or those with a history of depression, parietal α asymmetry contrasts with frontal lobe patterns, showing reduced activity in the right parietal region [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e]. However, some studies have not observed reduced activity in the right parietal region of depressed patients [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e]. Furthermore, other research has indicated excessive activation of the right parietal region in patients with depression accompanied by anxiety [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn clinical practice, antidepressant medications are not recommended for treating depressive symptoms in college students[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e]. Most clinicians suggest improving symptoms through non-pharmacological methods, with exercise being widely utilized due to its minimal side effects and practical applicability. Brush et al. found that a single 30-minute session of aerobic exercise significantly improved positive emotions in young individuals with depressive symptoms[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e]. Korman et al. further discovered that high-intensity exercise was more beneficial than moderate-intensity exercise in alleviating depression[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. The improvement in depressive symptoms among college students may be linked to exercise-induced changes in brain structure and function. Exercise can increase the proliferation and differentiation of hippocampal neural stem cells and enhance the volume of cortical areas. The hippocampus, by modulating the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, helps establish connections between other limbic systems and the prefrontal cortex, thus influencing depression[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e].The parietal cortical areas are associated with language and visuospatial functions, and exercise can increase power values in the left and right parietal regions[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e], promoting interhemispheric synchronization and improving depressive symptoms. Previous research has also shown that the effect of exercise on depression is related to exercise intensity[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e]. Norris et al. demonstrated that high-intensity exercise was more effective than moderate-intensity exercise in improving depressive moods in adolescents[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e]. Balchin et al. indicated that both moderate and high-intensity exercise could improve depressive symptoms, while low-intensity exercise showed no improvement[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBy reviewing the literature, we found that frontal lobe resting-state EEG lateralization can be used to assess patients with depression or individuals with depressive symptoms. Single-session exercise can improve depressive mood in these individuals. However, the effects of exercise on parietal resting-state EEG lateralization and depressive symptoms are not consistent, and the impact of different exercise intensities on depressive symptoms remains ambiguous.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study is the sixth year of our team's decade-long project. Preliminary research has identified three specific types of depressive symptoms in college students: emotional states, cognitive states, and suicidal ideation or self-harm. Exercise has been shown to be an effective measure for preventing depression in college students, with different exercise regimens required for varying levels of depressive symptoms. Compared to their non-depressed peers, college students with depressive symptoms exhibit specific resting-state EEG characteristics. Specifically, there are negative correlations between frontal δ (Delta), θ (Theta), α1 (Alpha1), α2 (Alpha2), β1 (Beta1) lateralization and SDS (Self-Rating Depression Scale) scores, while no correlation is observed with β2 (Beta2)[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e]. Additionally, physical activity levels are associated with SDS scores and frontal α lateralization in students with mild depressive symptoms[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e], and different types of physical activity can modulate the relationship between depressive symptoms and resting-state EEG indicators. Furthermore, we have found that single-session high-intensity interval exercise can improve mood and frontal α lateralization in college students with depressive symptoms[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on this, the present study will further investigate whether BDI-II(Beck Depression Inventory-II) scores in college students with depressive symptoms are related to lateralization of different frequency bands in the parietal region during resting-state EEG. The study aims to identify specific indicators in the parietal region for these students and assess the impact of single-session exercise at varying intensities on their depressive symptoms, with the goal of providing clinical reference.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003eSubjects were recruited in Songjiang University Town, Shanghai. Inclusion Criteria:(1) Aged 17\u0026ndash;25 years and right-handed. (2) Non-physical education majors.(3) No history of psychiatric disorders. (4) Not currently taking benzodiazepines, chloral hydrate, or other similar medications. (5) No contraindications to exercise. (6) Signed informed consent. (7) BDI-II score of 14 or higher. Exclusion Criteria: (1) Consumption of caffeine or alcoholic beverages within 24 hours prior to exercise. (2) Engagement in vigorous physical activity before testing. (3) Severe musculoskeletal disorders.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e Participants were informed about the experimental procedures and signed an informed consent form. The study adhered to the latest ethical guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and received approval from the Shanghai University of Sport Ethics Committee (Approval No.: 102772023RT075). It was reviewed at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on August 7, 2024(ChiCTR2400087920). See Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e for the recruitment flow chart.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eExperimental Procedure\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eElectronic questionnaires were distributed via Wenjuanxing to students from two universities in Songjiang University Town. Students completed a basic information form and BDI-II screening to identify those meeting the inclusion criteria, who were subsequently briefed on the study. All included students were required to visit the laboratory twice. During the first visit, participants were informed about the experimental procedures, signed the informed consent form, and underwent baseline resting-state EEG recording. The second visit was separated from the first visit for 72 hours to complete the intervention and the resting EEG acquisition after the intervention, as illustrated in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA total of 80 eligible college students were initially recruited for the study. In the low-intensity exercise group, 3 participants withdrew: 2 were excluded due to missing EEG data, and 1 withdrew for not completing the post-test. In the moderate-intensity exercise group, 1 participant withdrew due to incomplete treadmill exercise. In the high-intensity exercise group, 3 participants withdrew: 2 were excluded due to lost EEG data, and 1 withdrew for not completing the treadmill exercise. In the control group, 3 participants withdrew: 1 due to a personal emergency, 1 for leaving during the sitting period, and 1 due to lost EEG data. Ultimately, 70 participants were included in the final analysis.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eIntervention Methods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eExercise format: The aerobic exercise was conducted on a digital treadmill manufactured by Tecnobody, Italy.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eExercise intensity: Before the exercise, the participant's heart rate was measured with the Polar-H10 heart rate band. Exercise intensity was calculated according to HRmax\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;207\u0026thinsp;\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.7\u0026times; age. The low-intensity group first performed a 5-minute warm-up, and at the end of the warm-up, the low-intensity target heart rate was 57%-64%HRmax, and the monitoring exercise lasted for 20 minutes. Finally, the low-intensity group performed a 5-minute finishing exercise below the target heart rate. The moderate intensity group performed a 5-minute warm-up, and at the end of the warm-up, the moderate intensity target heart rate of 65%-76%HRmax was reached, and the monitoring exercise lasted for 20 minutes. Finally, the group performed a 5-minute finishing exercise below the target heart rate. The high-intensity group first performed a 5-minute warm-up, and at the end of the warm-up, the high-intensity target heart rate 77%-95%HRmax lasted for 20 minutes and finally performed a 5-minute warm-up exercise below the target heart rate.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eExercise Duration: 30 minutes total, including 5 minutes warm-up, 20 minutes running on a treadmill, and 5 minutes relaxing. The control group was asked to sit quietly in a quiet room for 30 minutes.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eExperimental control: subjects wore comfortable sportswear; No diet was performed 1 hour before exercise and no strenuous exercise was performed for 24 hours.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTools of experiment\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1)Self-made basic information table. It mainly included the subjects' age, gender, student number, height, weight, grade, major, right-handed or not, medication, and disease history.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(2)BDI-II.The scale can be used to divide depressive symptoms into no depressive symptoms, mild depressive symptoms, moderate depressive symptoms, and severe depressive symptoms. The scoring criteria are \u0026le;\u0026thinsp;13, 14\u0026ndash;19, 20\u0026ndash;28, and 29\u0026ndash;63, respectively. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.86.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(3)EEG data were recorded using the NCERP-190012 EEG topography device from Shanghai Norcent Electric Co., Ltd. This equipment employs 16 monopolar electrodes with a preamplifier, a sampling frequency of 500 Hz, high-pass filter at 0.3 Hz, low-pass filter at 30 Hz, and notch filter at 50 Hz. Frequency bands are defined as follows: δ (1\u0026ndash;4 Hz), θ (4\u0026ndash;8 Hz), α1 (8-10.5 Hz), α2 (10.5\u0026ndash;13 Hz), β1 (13\u0026ndash;20 Hz), and β2 (20\u0026ndash;30 Hz), with critical values in the high-frequency range. Electrodes were placed according to the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology's 10/20 system, including Fp1, Fp2, F3, F4, F7, F8, C3, C4, P3, P4, O1, O2, T3, T4, T5, T6, with grounding electrode at GND and reference electrodes at the bilateral earlobes (A1 and A2)[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e]. Testing was conducted in a well-ventilated, soundproof dark room. Participants were instructed to familiarize themselves with the environment and adjust their seating posture upon arrival. During the test, participants were required to remain relaxed with steady breathing, hands resting naturally by their sides, eyes closed, avoiding teeth clenching and swallowing, and maintaining alertness. EEG recordings commenced once the waveforms stabilized.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAll tests were conducted by trained researchers who were blinded to the group assignments.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eStatistical Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eMatlab was used to process the EEG data. Lateralization of the left and right parietal regions (P3 and P4) was calculated =(P4-P3)/ (P4\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;P3). Statistical analysis and mapping were performed using SPSS and GraphPad Prism, respectively. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the continuous variables in the four groups, and the chi-square test was used for categorical variables. Changes in lateralization across the four groups were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. To address the issue of multiple comparisons and reduce the risk of Type I errors, Bonferroni correction was applied. Spearman was used for correlation analysis because the data were significantly skewed. p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01 and p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001 were used with \"*\" and \"**\" respectively to represent the difference was statistically significant.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eBasic Information\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrom Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, it is evident that there are no statistically significant differences among the four groups in terms of age, sex, height, weight, BMI, academic year, handedness, or BDI-II scores, with all p-values being \u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBasic information\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBasic information\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLow group\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(\u003cem\u003en\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;17)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eModerate group\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(\u003cem\u003en\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;19)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh group(\u003cem\u003en\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;17)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eControl group\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(\u003cem\u003en\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;17)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eF\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAge(year)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.65\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.79\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.74\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.522\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.0\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.275\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.53\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.943\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.49\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.691\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.445\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHeight(cm)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e167.66\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.89\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e166.15\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;8.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e164.2\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;8.02\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e170.04\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;8.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.74\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.167\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWeight(Kg)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e58.35\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;11.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e57.95\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;12.87\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e55.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;14.43\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e59.88\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;10.18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.34\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.797\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBMI(Kg/m\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.72\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.90\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.86\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.50\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.66\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.88\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.03\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.992\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGrade Level\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;7.51\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.585\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFreshman\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSophomore\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eJunior\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSenior\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRight-handed\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBDI-II(score)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.12\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.16\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.79\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.35\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.86\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.06\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.58\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.61\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.609\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eCorrelation Between Regional EEG Asymmetry Across Frequency Bands and BDI-II Scores in Students with Depressive Symptoms\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccording to Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e and Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e, there is a significant negative correlation between parietal α2 asymmetry and BDI-II scores (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01), indicating that increased α2 asymmetry is associated with higher depressive symptoms. Similarly, parietal β1 asymmetry also shows a negative correlation with BDI-II scores, which is statistically significant (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). Other frequency bands demonstrate negative correlations with BDI-II scores; however, these correlations are not statistically significant (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCorrelation Coefficients between Parietal Asymmetry in Various Frequency Bands and BDI-II Scores\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eδ\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eθ\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eα1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eα2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eβ1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eβ2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBDI-II\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.116\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.143\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.131\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.301\u003csup\u003e*\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.252\u003csup\u003e*\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.156\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"7\"\u003eNote:\u0026ldquo;*\u0026rdquo;P\u0026lt;0.05.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eThe Effect of Single-session Exercise on Parietal α2 Asymmetry\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eRepeated measures analysis revealed a significant time \u0026times; group interaction effect (F\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.320, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.008). Simple effects analysis showed that there were no significant differences in α2 asymmetry among the four groups at baseline (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). At post-test, significant differences were observed between the moderate-intensity group and the low-intensity group (difference\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.06, 95% CI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.009, 0.104, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.021), between the moderate-intensity group and the control group (difference\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.08, 95% CI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.030, 0.130, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.002), and between the high-intensity group and the control group (difference\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.068, 95% CI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.016, 0.119, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.011). Additionally, significant changes were found in α2 asymmetry from pre-test to post-test in the moderate-intensity group (difference\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.094, 95% CI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.035, 0.153, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.002) and the high-intensity group (difference\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.067, 95% CI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.005, 0.130, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.035). See Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e and Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDescriptive statistics of α2 lateralization in the parietal region before and after exercise in the four groups\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"9\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLow group\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eModerate group\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh group\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eControl group\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBefore\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfter\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBefore\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfter\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBefore\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfter\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBefore\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfter\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eα2 lateralization\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.025\u0026plusmn;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.088\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.049\u0026plusmn;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.067\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.083\u0026plusmn;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.157\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.011\u0026plusmn;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.083\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.069\u0026plusmn;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.138\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.002\u0026plusmn;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.093\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.037\u0026plusmn;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.051\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.069\u0026plusmn;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.051\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eImpact of Single-Session Exercise on Parietal β1 Asymmetry\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe repeated measures analysis revealed a significant time \u0026times; group interaction effect on parietal β1 asymmetry (F\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.55, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.019). Simple effects analysis indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in β1 asymmetry among the four groups at baseline (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAt post-test, significant differences were found between the moderate-intensity group and the control group (difference\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.073, 95% CI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.003, 0.143, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.041), as well as between the moderate-intensity group and the low-intensity group (difference\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.072, 95% CI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.002, 0.141, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.041). Additionally, there was a significant difference in β1 asymmetry in the moderate-intensity group from pre-test to post-test (difference\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.101, 95% CI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.030, 0.173, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.006). See Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e and Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDescriptive statistics of β1 lateralization in the parietal region before and after exercise in the four groups\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"9\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLow group\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eModerate group\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh group\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eControl group\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBefore\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfter\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBefore\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfter\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBefore\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfter\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBefore\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfter\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eβ1\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003elateralization\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.043\u0026plusmn;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.083\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.073\u0026plusmn;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.075\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.103\u0026plusmn;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.162\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.001\u0026plusmn;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.116\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.099\u0026plusmn;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.160\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.032\u0026plusmn;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.108\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.035\u0026plusmn;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.108\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.074\u0026plusmn;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.114\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eChanges in BDI-II Scores Following a Single Session of Exercise\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe repeated measures analysis revealed a significant main effect between subjects (F\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.282, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.026). Post-hoc tests indicated significant differences between the high-intensity group and both the low-intensity group (difference = -3.62, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.016) and the moderate-intensity group (difference = -4.24, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.005). The interaction effect of time \u0026times; group was significant (F\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;19.13, P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Simple effects analysis showed that, at post-test, the moderate-intensity group had a significant difference from the control group (difference = -2.93, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.048). The high-intensity group demonstrated significant differences compared to the low-intensity group (difference = -5.47, P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), the moderate-intensity group (difference = -3.84, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.01), and the control group (difference = -6.77, P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Significant changes were observed from pre-test to post-test in the low-intensity group (difference = -1.59, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.002), the moderate-intensity group (difference = -2.26, P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), and the high-intensity group (difference = -5.29, P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). No significant changes were noted in other comparisons (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). For detailed results, refer to Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e and Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBDI-II Descriptive statistics before and after exercise for the four groups\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"9\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c3\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLow group\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eModerate group\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh group\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eControl group\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBefore\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfter\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBefore\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfter\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBefore\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfter\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBefore\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfter\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBDI-II\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.12\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.53\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.94\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.16\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.79\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.89\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.35\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.86\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.06\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.32\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.06\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.58\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.82\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.41\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eCorrelation Between BDI-II and Changes in α2 and β1\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccording to Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e and Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e, the change value of α2 was negatively correlated with the change value of BDI-II and was statistically significant (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01), and the change value of β2 was negatively correlated with the change value of BDI-II and was statistically significant (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab6\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 6\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCorrelation coefficients of α2 and β1 with the change values of BDI-II scores\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eα2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eβ1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBDI-II\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.308**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.258*\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study found that BDI-II scores in college students are correlated with parietal α2 and β1 asymmetry, indicating that α2 and β1 may serve as electrophysiological indicators of depressive symptoms in this population. Although previous research by our team did not find a correlation between SDS (Self-Rating Depression Scale) scores and parietal asymmetry in individuals with depressive symptoms[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e], similar findings have been reported in other studies involving depressive patients. For instance, existing research has shown that not only do depressed patients exhibit asymmetry in parietal α rhythms[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e], but also their offspring display similar asymmetry in α rhythms[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e]. Currently, studies on parietal asymmetry in depressive patients or individuals with depressive symptoms report three main outcomes: right parietal asymmetry, left parietal asymmetry, or the absence of asymmetry[\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR29\" citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e]. Variations in parietal asymmetry findings can be attributed to factors such as the severity of depression, handedness, gender, age, medication, recent caffeine consumption, and comorbidities[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, future research should aim to control for these variables to better understand their impact on parietal asymmetry.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe found that different intensities of single-session exercise have varying effects on college students with depressive symptoms. Low-intensity exercise led to improvements only in BDI-II scores, without affecting the α2 and β1 asymmetry that correlates with BDI-II scores. Meyer et al. reported that single-session low, moderate, and high-intensity exercises all improved depressive symptoms in patients, with no significant differences among the intensities[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e]. However, other studies have reported different findings. For example, Balchin et al. conducted a 6-week aerobic exercise program with low, moderate, and high intensities, three times per week, and found that low-intensity exercise did not improve depressive symptoms, whereas moderate and high-intensity exercises showed significant improvements[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e]. The discrepancy between our findings and those of previous studies may be attributed to differences in depression severity and assessment tools. Our study involved college students with depressive symptoms rather than clinically diagnosed depression patients. Additionally, we utilized more objective electrophysiological indicators related to BDI-II scores, rather than subjective rating scales. This methodological difference may account for the variance in results. Exercise may induce changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF), with moderate increases in BDNF promoting neurogenesis in regions like the hippocampus, enhancing brain plasticity, and improving cognitive function, thus exerting antidepressant effects[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e]. Low-intensity exercise might not elicit such changes in these substances or stimulate the nervous system sufficiently, which could explain the lack of improvement in parietal asymmetry observed in our study[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study indicates that both moderate and high-intensity exercises can improve the asymmetry of α2 and β1 in college students with depressive symptoms, with moderate intensity proving most effective, thus corroborating previous research. Meyer et al. found that a single session of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise significantly improved anhedonia and depressive mood in depressed patients[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]. Dunn et al. reported that moderate-intensity exercise yielded the most substantial improvements in depression among middle-aged and older adults compared to low-intensity exercise[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e]. Paolucci et al. found that both high-intensity interval exercise and moderate-intensity continuous exercise improved depressive symptoms in college students, but moderate-intensity exercise was more effective in reducing tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels, whereas high-intensity exercise increased perceived stress and TNF-α levels[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e]. Schuch et al. observed similar findings in elderly patients, where moderate-intensity exercise significantly improved depressive symptoms, while high-intensity exercise did not[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e]. Our results show that high-intensity exercise notably improved α2 asymmetry but did not significantly affect β1 asymmetry. β rhythms are generally associated with cortical excitability, and high-intensity exercise, with its substantial physiological demands, can lead to neuromuscular fatigue and metabolic disturbances, which may contribute to increased stress and resource depletion[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e]. This could explain the lack of significant improvement in β1 asymmetry. Additionally, we found that changes in BDI-II scores are associated with changes in α2 and β1 asymmetry. This suggests that the antidepressant effects of exercise might be linked to enhanced bilateral hemisphere coordination in the brain, which could improve cerebral asymmetry.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eLimitations and Future Directions\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study's participants were identified through BDI-II screening for depressive symptoms but were not clinically diagnosed. Future research should combine BDI-II screening with clinical evaluations to enhance the precision of the findings. This study assessed changes in depressive symptoms using parietal lobe laterality, but this measure can be influenced by various factors. Future studies should control for additional potential variables to ensure the scientific validity of the results. Additionally, while this study focused solely on the parietal lobe, depressive symptoms affect multiple brain regions. Future research should explore changes in other brain areas to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of exercise on depression.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eFrom the perspective of BDI-II scores, single-session aerobic exercise of varying intensities is effective in alleviating depressive symptoms among university students. In terms of resting-state EEG parietal lobe lateralization, both moderate and high-intensity aerobic exercise demonstrate improvements in depressive symptoms, with moderate-intensity exercise yielding the most favorable results. Additionally, the improvement in depressive symptoms among university students is associated with enhanced parietal lobe synchronization. These findings highlight the efficacy of moderate-intensity exercise in improving depressive symptoms and suggest that exercise-induced changes in parietal lobe lateralization may play a role in this therapeutic effect.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConception and design: C L, X W. Development of methodology: SQ J, X W. Analysis and interpretation of data: SQ J, XZ W. Writing of the manuscript: C L, SQ J. Study supervision: X W.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEmpirical Study on Key Technologies of AI Assisted Intervention for Individualized Sports Health Behavior(2020YFC2007205)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData availability\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease contact the corresponding author if required. Email: wangxing [email protected].\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments. It was approved by the ethics committee of Shanghai University of Sports (Approval No.: 102772023RT075). Written informed consent was gained from all patients; all participants were informed that they could withdraw at any point during the trial. This study was regis‑tered prospectively at the Chinese Clinical Tria Registry (www.chictr.org.cn). Trial registration: ChiCTR2400087920\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot Applicable.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGlobal burden. of 369 diseases and injuries in 204 countries and territories, 1990\u0026ndash;2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Lancet. 2020;396(10258):1204\u0026ndash;22.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMarelli S, Castelnuovo A, Somma A, Castronovo V, Mombelli S, Bottoni D, Leitner C, Fossati A, Ferini-Strambi L. 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Psychiatry Res. 2020;284:112601.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHendrikse J, Chye Y, Thompson S, Rogasch NC, Suo C, Coxon JP, Y\u0026uuml;cel M. Regular aerobic exercise is positively associated with hippocampal structure and function in young and middle-aged adults. Hippocampus. 2022;32(3):137\u0026ndash;52.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMM Y, XN W. Effects of Taichi on EEG Characteristics. J Beijing Sport Univ. 2015;38(03):67\u0026ndash;71.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eXC G, XY Z. Study on the role of exercise intervention in the treatment of depression in college students. Chin Gen Pract. 2023;26(27):3466\u0026ndash;7.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePearce M, Garcia L, Abbas A, Strain T, Schuch FB, Golubic R, Kelly P, Khan S, Utukuri M, Laird Y, et al. Association Between Physical Activity and Risk of Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry. 2022;79(6):550\u0026ndash;9.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNorris R, Carroll D, Cochrane R. The effects of physical activity and exercise training on psychological stress and well-being in an adolescent population. J Psychosom Res. 1992;36(1):55\u0026ndash;65.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBalchin R, Linde J, Blackhurst D, Rauch HL, Sch\u0026ouml;nb\u0026auml;chler G. Sweating away depression? The impact of intensive exercise on depression. J Affect Disord. 2016;200:218\u0026ndash;21.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJL PWJW. Relationship Between Physical Activity Level and Depressive Symptoms in College Students: A Pathway Analysis Based on EEG. J Shanghai Univ Sport. 2023;47(04):51\u0026ndash;60.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eXJ Z XW, YH SLQ, JL ZPWJW, SM ZXXQZ. ༲elationship among physical activity, mild depressive symptoms and frontal alpha power asymmetry in college students. Chin Mental Health J. 2024;38(02):180\u0026ndash;5.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSL Q, XJ WZL, YH ZXW. Effects of single high-intensity interval exercise on emotion and lateralization of frontal lobe α frequency band in depressed college students. Acad J Naval Med Univ. 2022;43(10):1211\u0026ndash;6.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eZC L, C L, HY JZ, YL Z. Resting EEG based disorders in the anterior and posterior brain in depression. CAAI Trans Intell Syst. 2014;9(02):168\u0026ndash;73.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBruder GE, Stewart JW, McGrath PJ. Right brain, left brain in depressive disorders: Clinical and theoretical implications of behavioral, electrophysiological and neuroimaging findings. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2017;78:178\u0026ndash;91.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBruder GE, Bansal R, Tenke CE, Liu J, Hao X, Warner V, Peterson BS, Weissman MM. Relationship of resting EEG with anatomical MRI measures in individuals at high and low risk for depression. Hum Brain Mapp. 2012;33(6):1325\u0026ndash;33.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTomarken AJ, Dichter GS, Garber J, Simien C. Resting frontal brain activity: linkages to maternal depression and socio-economic status among adolescents. Biol Psychol. 2004;67(1\u0026ndash;2):77\u0026ndash;102.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eField T, Diego M. Maternal depression effects on infant frontal EEG asymmetry. Int J Neurosci. 2008;118(8):1081\u0026ndash;108.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKaiser AK, Gnjezda MT, Knasm\u0026uuml;ller S, Aichhorn W. Electroencephalogram alpha asymmetry in patients with depressive disorders: current perspectives. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2018;14:1493\u0026ndash;504.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMeyer JD, Koltyn KF, Stegner AJ, Kim JS, Cook DB. Influence of Exercise Intensity for Improving Depressed Mood in Depression: A Dose-Response Study. Behav Ther. 2016;47(4):527\u0026ndash;37.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLuo L, Li C, Du X, Shi Q, Huang Q, Xu X, Wang Q. Effect of aerobic exercise on BDNF/proBDNF expression in the ischemic hippocampus and depression recovery of rats after stroke. Behav Brain Res. 2019;362:323\u0026ndash;31.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eZD C, WT J, Q W. Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of acute physical exercise on executive function in middle-aged and elderly people. CHINA SPORT Sci Technol. 2020;56(09):45\u0026ndash;57.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMeyer JD, Murray TA, Brower CS, Cruz-Maldonado GA, Perez ML, Ellingson LD, Wade NG. Magnitude, timing and duration of mood state and cognitive effects of acute moderate exercise in major depressive disorder. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2022;61:102172.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDunn AL, Trivedi MH, Kampert JB, Clark CG, Chambliss HO. Exercise treatment for depression: efficacy and dose response. Am J Prev Med. 2005;28(1):1\u0026ndash;8.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePaolucci EM, Loukov D, Bowdish DME, Heisz JJ. Exercise reduces depression and inflammation but intensity matters. Biol Psychol. 2018;133:79\u0026ndash;84.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSchuch FB, Vancampfort D, Rosenbaum S, Richards J, Ward PB, Veronese N, Solmi M, Cadore EL, Stubbs B. Exercise for depression in older adults: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials adjusting for publication bias. Revista brasileira de psiquiatria (Sao Paulo Brazil: 1999). 2016;38(3):247\u0026ndash;54.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYZ L, YJ L, YT Y. A meta- analysis of effects of high intensity Interval training and moderate intensity continuous training on inhibition function. J Capital Univ Phys Educ Sports. 2024;36(01):105\u0026ndash;16.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-psychiatry","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"bpsy","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Psychiatry](http://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/bpsy/default.aspx","title":"BMC Psychiatry","twitterHandle":"@BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Single-session aerobic exercise, Depressive symptoms, College students, Lateralization","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5053017/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5053017/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe incidence of depression among college students is increasingly high, significantly impacting their daily lives. This study aims to utilize electroencephalography (EEG) to assess the effects of varying intensities of single-session aerobic exercise on depression symptoms in college students.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eObjective\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study aimed to explore the effects of single sessions of aerobic exercise at varying intensities on depressive symptoms in college students through changes in BDI-II (Beck Depression Inventory-II) scores and resting-state EEG lateralization.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eDepressed college students were randomly assigned to low, moderate, high-intensity exercise, and control groups. The study investigated the relationship between BDI-II scores and resting-state EEG frontal cortex lateralization and the impact of single sessions of aerobic exercise at different intensities on depressive symptoms.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBDI-II scores were negatively correlated with frontal α2 (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01) and β1 (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05) lateralization in depressed students. Low-intensity exercise significantly reduced BDI-II scores (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). Moderate-intensity exercise resulted in significant changes in BDI-II scores (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), α2 lateralization (P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.002), and β1 lateralization (P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.006). Post-test comparisons showed significant differences in BDI-II (P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.048), α2 (P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.002), and β1 (P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.041) compared to the control group, and differences in α2 (P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.021) and β1 (P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.041) compared to the low-intensity group. High-intensity exercise also significantly altered BDI-II scores (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) and α2 (P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.035). Post-test comparisons showed differences in BDI-II compared to low-intensity (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), moderate-intensity (P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.01), and control groups (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), and differences in α2 compared to the control group (P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.011). BDI-II changes were negatively correlated with changes in α2 (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01) and β1 (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05).\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAll intensities of single-session aerobic exercise can improve depressive symptoms in college students according to BDI-II scores. From the perspective of resting-state EEG frontal cortex lateralization, moderate and high-intensity exercise can improve depressive symptoms, with moderate intensity showing the most significant effect. The improvement in depressive symptoms is associated with increased frontal cortex synchronization.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"The Impact of Single Sessions of Aerobic Exercise at Varying Intensities on Depressive Symptoms in College Students: Evidence from Resting-State EEG in the Frontal Cortex","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-11-07 07:05:40","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5053017/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2024-09-17T05:19:58+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2024-09-16T04:34:32+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2024-09-16T04:33:24+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Psychiatry","date":"2024-09-08T14:09:01+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-psychiatry","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"bpsy","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Psychiatry](http://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/bpsy/default.aspx","title":"BMC Psychiatry","twitterHandle":"@BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"c7daa8c3-fc1d-4d79-8f2d-e1e0b8419125","owner":[],"postedDate":"November 7th, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2024-12-23T16:08:42+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-5053017","link":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06322-w","journal":{"identity":"bmc-psychiatry","isVorOnly":false,"title":"BMC Psychiatry"},"publishedOn":"2024-12-18 15:58:21","publishedOnDateReadable":"December 18th, 2024"},"versionCreatedAt":"2024-11-07 07:05:40","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1186/s12888-024-06322-w","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06322-w","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-5053017","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-5053017","identity":"rs-5053017","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}