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Contact the study team using the details below to take part. If there are no contact details below please ask your doctor in the first instance.

Contact Information:

Dr Jonathan Roiser
j.roiser@ucl.ac.uk


Dr Jonathan Roiser
icn.life@ucl.ac.uk


More information about this study, what is involved and how to take part can be found on the study website.

Study Location:

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Be Part of Research - Trial Details - LIFE trial V1.0

LIFE trial V1.0

Recruiting

Open to: Female / Male

Age: 18 Years - 60 Years

Medical Conditions

Mood [affective] disorders


This information is provided directly by researchers, and we recognise that it isn't always easy to understand. We are working with researchers to improve the accessibility of this information. In some summaries, you may come across links to external websites. These websites will have more information to help you better understand the study.


It is widely accepted that any level of physical activity can help prevent and treat depression, but how this works is not well-understood. Understanding how physical activity treats depression could allow physical activity programmes to be made more effective, more widely available, and allow for physical activity to be tailored to be most effective for each individual person.


There is evidence that symptoms of depression are linked to a range of psychological and biological processes relating to motivation: these are (1) psychological processes important for acquiring reward, (2) the brain's chemical messenger dopamine, and (3) inflammation in the body. Physical activity reduces inflammation and boosts dopamine and processing of reward, which could improve symptoms of depression related to motivation. This trial aims to understand how physical activity changes inflammation, dopamine, and reward processing.

The objective is to test the effect of physical activity on inflammation, dopamine, brain activity and behaviour during reward processing, and symptoms of depression relating to motivation. The effect of two types of physical activity will be tested in 125 participants by comparing them to the effect of stretching and relaxation on 125 separate participants.

Start dates may differ between countries and research sites. The research team are responsible for keeping the information up-to-date.  

The recruitment start and end dates are as follows:

22 May 2024 01 May 2028

Interventional

Interventional type: Physical;



You can take part if:



You may not be able to take part if:


1) Medical contraindications to either intervention. 2) Neurological illness. 3) Past or current diagnosis of psychosis, bipolar disorder, or substance/alcohol use disorder, unless restricted to a depressive episode. 4) Unable to complete self-administered cognitive or questionnaire assessments. 5) Symptoms or cognitive impairment that would limit capacity to consent. 6) Pregnancy. 7) Regular use of anti-inflammatory medication (more than once per week).


Below are the locations for where you can take part in the trial. Please note that not all sites may be open.

Dr Jonathan Roiser
j.roiser@ucl.ac.uk


Dr Jonathan Roiser
icn.life@ucl.ac.uk



More information about this study, what is involved and how to take part can be found on the study website.


The study is sponsored by University College London and funded by Wellcome Trust .




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for Trial ID: CPMS 60984

Last updated 30 March 2026

This page is to help you find out about a research study and if you may be able to take part

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