The influence of physical activity on cognitive functions in patients suffering from schizophrenia

It is well known that physical activity significantly contributes to good health. Recent studies have attempted to find out how physical activity affects mental disorders and their neurobiological origin as well as the cognitive functions. Numerous studies have indicated a positive impact of physical training on the enhancement of cognitive functions. Most recent studies on the impact of physical activity on mental functions focused on affective disorders. There are few publications discussing studies on schizophrenic patients. Schizophrenia is a mental disease with a complex pathogenesis, which affects about 1% of population. The key symptoms of schizophrenia include disorders of cognitive functions; treatment of such disorders is not satisfactory. This work uses available results to try to demonstrate a relationship between physical training of patients with diagnosed schizophrenia and the improvement of cognitive functions. It is concluded that physical training with specific intensity, particularly in combination with cognitive training, may be an important therapeutic strategy and may be used as a supplement to standard treatment. Further research is needed to precisely determine the type, duration, and intensity of training.

Many studies indicate that physical training as a supplementary method of treatment positively impacts not only the cognitive functions but also the clinical symptoms of the disease and the overall functioning of schizophrenic patients.