OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of two standardized exercise programs, muscle strength training (SE) and aerobic training (AE), on the plasma levels of BDNF and depressive symptoms in 451 elderly women (ReBEC:RBR9v9cwf). DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Community-dwelling older women, Belo Horizonte/MG Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: 451 community-dwelling older women (65 to 89 years old). INTERVENTION: The participants were divided into two groups: strengthening exercises (SE) and aerobic exercises (AE). Both protocols lasted 10 weeks, and 30 sessions (one-hour sessions) in total were performed three times a week under the direct supervision of physical therapists. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: plasma levels of BDNF (ELISA) and depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale). RESULTS: There was a significant difference for the BDNF plasma levels between the SE and AE groups (p = 0.009). Post-hoc analysis revealed a pre-post intervention difference in BDNF levels only for the SE group (p = 0.008). A statistically significant difference was found for the pre- and post-intervention GDS scores in both groups (p = 0.001), showing that the effects of both exercise protocols were comparable regarding depressive symptoms (p = 0.185). CONCLUSION: The present findings have demonstrated the positive effect of muscle strengthening and aerobic intervention on depressive symptoms in community-dwelling elderly women. Interestingly, only SE significantly increased the plasma levels of BDNF in our sample. The positive effects of physical exercise on depressive symptoms in the elderly were not mediated by BDNF.

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