New research further supports the benefits of exercise for mental health, after finding aerobic physical activity could help treat the symptoms of schizophrenia.

Share on Pinterest Researchers say aerobic physical activity could benefit the cognitive functioning of people with schizophrenia.

The researchers – including Joseph Firth of the Institute of Brain, Behavior and Mental Health at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom – publish their findings in the journal Schizophrenia Bulletin.

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder estimated to affect around 1.1 percent of American adults.

Symptoms of the disorder include hallucinations, delusions, abnormal thought processes, and agitated body movements. Some individuals with schizophrenia may also experience cognitive symptoms, such as problems with memory, executive function, and attention.

Schizophrenia has no cure, but there are treatments that can help manage symptoms. These include antipsychotic medications and psychosocial therapies.

Now, Firth and colleagues suggest aerobic exercise should be added to the treatment regimens of patients with schizophrenia, after finding it could improve their cognitive functioning.