Major depressive disorder is a severe mental health condition characterized by persistent low mood and a loss of interest in rewarding activities. Medical professionals often recommend physical exercise as a natural way to alleviate these symptoms. Exercise tends to improve mental health by promoting changes in the hippocampus, a brain region involved in mood regulation and memory.
Older adults experiencing age-related muscle loss, a condition known as sarcopenia, often have an increased risk of mental health conditions. “Sarcopenia is significantly linked to depression and cognitive decline in older adults, prompting interest in muscle-secreted factors that influence hippocampal function,” said Sonata Suk-yu Yau, an associate professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
