Slow progression of Parkinson’s disease with sustained physical activity

According to an observational cohort study, people with early Parkinson’s disease who exercised regularly for more than 5 years had better cognitive test results and slower disease progression in some areas.

Regular overall physical activity levels over time include postural instability and gait score (β). _{Alternating current} = -0.10), Activities of Daily Living Score (β) _{Alternating current} = 0.08), and processing speed score (β) _{Alternating current} = 0.05), reported by Dr. Kazuto Tsukita of Kyoto University, Japan.

They write that moderate to strenuous exercise is associated with slower postural and gait stability, and work-related physical activity is associated with slower processing speeds. Neurology.. However, baseline activity levels were not related to the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

“We found that it was more important for people with Parkinson’s disease to maintain an exercise program than to be active at the beginning of the disease,” Tsukita said in a statement.

“The drug can relieve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease to some extent, but it has not been shown to slow the progression of the disease,” Tsukita added. “We have found that regular physical activity, including household chores and moderate exercise, can actually improve the course of the illness in the long run.”

The findings extend evidence that activity and exercise improve the outcome of Parkinson’s disease and delay disability, said Lisa Schulman, a doctor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, who was not involved in the study. ..

“The remaining interesting question is about the mechanism,” Shulman said. Today’s Med Page. “Are these benefits in Parkinson’s disease related to improvements in various factors such as endurance, strength, and mobility, or are there more radical effects on extrapyramidal tracts?”

Tsukita et al. Examined 237 Parkinson’s disease progression marker initiatives with a median age of 63 years in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease. (PPMI), International longitudinal natural history research. Participants were followed for a median of 5 years.

PPMI studies include regular physical activity levels, leisure, home, and leisure time as assessed by the Elderly Physical Activity Scale (PASE), in addition to a long-term and comprehensive assessment of motor and cognitive function. And included a self-reported questionnaire to measure strength. Occupational activities. Processing speed was measured with the Symbol Digit Modalities Test.

Participants who exercised moderately to intensely for more than 4 hours a week were found to have slower instability and decreased gait in 5 years. Those who participated in paid or volunteer work, including physical activity, for at least 15.5 hours per week improved their processing speed scores over time.

“We believe that our findings have important implications for routine clinical practice and future clinical trials,” Tsukita et al. Observed. “They emphasize the importance of helping patients with Parkinson’s disease in their routine clinical practice to help them maintain their level of physical activity.”

“In order to maintain high levels of physical activity in people with Parkinson’s disease, it is essential that they themselves are convinced of the benefits of high levels of physical activity,” the researchers pointed out.

They added that the findings may also lead to future randomized controlled trials to demonstrate the disease-modifying effects of exercise in Parkinson’s disease.

Tsukita et al. Admitted that this study was observational and could not assess causality. In addition, regular physical activity was quantified using data from the self-reported PASE questionnaire.