A web-based adapted physical activity program (e-APA) versus health education program (e-HE) in patients with schizophrenia and healthy volunteers: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (PEPSY V@Si)

Patients with schizophrenia (SZ) have a high level of cardiovascular morbidity and some clinical symptoms of illness remain resistant to pharmacological approaches. A large number of studies support the effectiveness of physical activity (PA) in SZ. The aims of this trial is to assess the effects of a remote, web-based adapted PA program (e-APA) compared to a health education program (e-HE) on brain plasticity in SZ and healthy volunteers (HV) and on psychiatric, neurocognitive, circadian and physical variables. The study is an interventional, multicenter, randomized open-label trial. Forty-two SZ will be randomized to either the active group (e-APA, N = 21) or nonactive group (e-HE, N = 21), and 21 HV will be matched to SZ according to age, gender, and level of PA in both e-APA and e-HE groups. Interventions will consist of 32 sessions (2 × 60 min/week, for 16 weeks) via supervised home-based videoconferencing. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging, psychiatric symptoms, neurocognitive and circadian rhythms assessments as well as physical tests and biological analyses will be assessed at baseline and 16 weeks after the intervention. To our knowledge, this is the first study aiming to evaluate the efficacy of APA delivered by supervised home-based videoconferencing in SZ. Moreover, using multimodal MRI, this study could clarify the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the efficacy of APA. Finally, this innovative approach might also increase participation in long-term PA since PA-based programs are known to have low adherence and early dropout. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03261817. Registered on 16 August 2017.