Parkinson’s patients could slow cognitive decline with exercise

Weekly physical activity may help slow disease progression in Parkinson’s patients, a new study suggests.

The research, led by the University of Cincinnati, included 294 patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease. Their average age was 66 years.

Participants reported their weekly physical activity via questionnaires.

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Physical activity was assessed using structured interviews covering moderate and vigorous activities at work, home, and leisure time.

Examples of moderate activity included brisk walking, light swimming, doubles tennis and household activities such as washing windows, vacuuming or mowing the lawn, the study release said.

Weekly physical activity may help slow disease progression in Parkinson’s patients, a new study suggests. (iStock)

Vigorous activities included activities such as jogging, fast cycling, team sports, and singles tennis, as well as shoveling and carrying heavy loads.

Participants were divided into three groups based on their weekly physical activity – up to four hours, four to eight hours and more than eight hours.

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The researchers then monitored the participants’ cognitive health for five years and their motor function for seven years.

Each additional hour of physical activity per week was associated with a slightly slower decline in memory, thinking and movement skills over time, even after accounting for factors such as age, gender, education, weight and disease severity.

Physical activity was assessed using structured interviews covering moderate and vigorous activities at work, home, and leisure time. (iStock)

Patients who were physically active for four to eight hours per week experienced a slower decline in memory and thinking skills than those who exercised for less than four hours.

Exercising for more than eight hours per week does not seem to provide additional benefits for memory and thinking.

The study was published October 7 in Neurology, the official medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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“Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes movement problems and cognitive problems that gradually worsen, leading to disability and loss of independence,” study author Dong-Woo Ryu, MD, Ph.D., of the University of Cincinnati and the Catholic University of Korea, said in the press release.

“Previous research has shown associations between physical activity and movement symptoms. Our study found that physical activity may have a dual benefit, with associations with slower decline in movement and cognition.”

“Although our study found slight differences between activity levels, these differences may become more significant over time.”

Ryu emphasized that the potential benefits of physical activity for Parkinson’s patients may depend on how long they stay active and whether they continue exercising over time.

“Although our study found slight differences between activity levels, these differences may become more significant over time,” he said.

“Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes movement problems and cognitive problems that gradually worsen, leading to disability and loss of independence,” said a study author. (iStock)

The researchers cautioned that most participants had relatively strong thinking and memory skills at the start of the study, so further research is needed to confirm the findings.

“Exercise has well-established benefits for fitness and mobility, as well as potential benefits for brain health through mechanisms that are not yet fully understood,” Dr. Vibhash Sharma, a neurologist at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas, who specializes in Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, told Fox News Digital.

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“These results further highlight the importance of regular physical activity in the management of Parkinson’s disease.”

One of the strengths of the study is that the patients were followed for several years, with assessments of their motor and cognitive functions, noted Sharma, who was not involved in the research.

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The study had some limitations, the researchers acknowledged.

Because the study was observational, it could not establish whether exercise directly slowed the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

Because participants reported their own physical activity, they may not remember accurately how much exercise they did. (iStock)

Additionally, because participants reported their own physical activity, they may not have accurately remembered how much exercise they had done.

The participants were all located in the same location and were primarily white, which could limit the generalizability of the results, the researchers noted.

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“It is also possible that patients whose disease progresses more slowly are more likely to remain physically active,” Sharma added.

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According to the researchers, randomized studies are needed to confirm whether exercise directly slows cognitive or motor decline.

The study was funded by a grant from the Gardner Family Foundation and the Precision Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases Fund.