The Motor Activity - Subjective Energy (MASE) Project

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Non-exercise activity: The 5-week intervention to assess the effects of non-exercise activity on the activity-subjective energy association incorporates two high-intensity Ambulatory Assessment (AA) weeks at the beginning and end, with a tapered 3-week Ecological Momentary Intervention (EMI) phase in between. Momentary targeted micro interventions (JITAIs) with a Within-Person-Encouragement Design (WPED) are used to tailor the activity to the individual situation and phenotype of each participant.

Study summary

This approach utilizes accelerometry to measure NEA and electronic diaries for real-time psychological assessments, overcoming limitations of traditional methods such as retrospective bias and low ecological validity. Brief episodes of physical activity in daily life, which are distinctly different from structured exercise sessions, are generally linked to improved affective well-being. Notably, feelings of energy are particularly associated with incidental, unstructured, and non-exercise activities. Clinically, psychomotor retardation and diminished mood are key diagnostic features of MDD, with evidence suggesting that lower motor activity differentiates MDD patients from controls and that increased activity correlates with treatment response. In this context, the MASE project aims to design personalized BA interventions that focus on increasing NEA and, in turn, enhancing subjective energy levels to reduce depressive symptoms and prevent relapse.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Change of real-life physical activity-subjective energy association — pre-post intervention (at 5 weeks)
  Subjective energy following target contexts will be assessed using the subscale Energetic Arousal from the MDMQ (VAS; scale from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating higher energy levels).

Trial sites (1)

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