Whole-body cryotherapy as adjunct treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders
Open Access
- 5 February 2008
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH in Archivum Immunologiae et Therapiae Experimentalis
- Vol. 56 (1), 63-68
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00005-008-0006-5
Abstract
Rheumatism has been treated using whole-body cryotherapy (WBCT) since the 1970s. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of WBCT as an experimental, adjunctive method of treating depressive and anxiety disorders. A control (n=34) and a study group (n=26), both consisting of outpatients 18–65 years old with depressive and anxiety disorders (ICD-10), received standard psychopharmacotherapy. The study group was additionally treated with a series of 15 daily visits to a cryogenic chamber (2–3 min, from –160°C to –°C). The Hamilton’s depression rating scale (HDRS) and Hamilton’s anxiety rating scale (HARS) were used as the outcome measures. After three weeks, a decrease of at least 50% from the baseline HDRS-17 scores in 34.6% of the study group and 2.9% of the control group and a decrease of at least 50% from the baseline HARS score in 46.2% of the study group and in none of the control group were noted. These findings, despite such limitations as a small sample size, suggest a possible role for WBCT as a short-term adjuvant treatment for mood and anxiety disorders.Keywords
This publication has 15 references indexed in Scilit:
- Transcranial and Deep Brain Stimulation Approaches as Treatment for DepressionClinical Eeg and Neuroscience, 2007
- Lung function after acute and repeated exposures to extremely cold air (-110oC) during whole-body cryotherapyClinical Physiology and Functional Imaging, 2006
- Thermal responses during and after whole-body cryotherapy (−110°C)Journal of Thermal Biology, 2003
- Influence of whole body cryotherapy on depressive symptoms – preliminary reportActa Neuropsychiatrica, 2003
- Neurobiology of DepressionNeuron, 2002
- Die Bedeutung der Ganzkörperkältetherapie im Rahmen der Rehabilitation bei Patienten mit rheumatischen Erkrankungen - - Ergebnisse einer Pilotstudie -Die Rehabilitation, 2000
- Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for treatment-resistant depressions: a multicenter study∗∗See accompanying Editorial, in this issue.Biological Psychiatry, 2000
- Physical therapy in the treatment of fibromyalgiaScandinavian Journal of Rheumatology, 2000
- A RATING SCALE FOR DEPRESSIONJournal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 1960
- THE ASSESSMENT OF ANXIETY STATES BY RATINGPsychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 1959