Regular exercise linked to slower neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease

For patients with early Parkinson’s disease (PD), regular physical activity is associated with a slower rate of neurodegeneration, according to a study published online in Neurology.

Patricia Diaz-Galvan, Ph.D., from the Universidad de Sevilla in Spain, and colleagues conducted a longitudinal, observational cohort study using data from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative and including patients with early PD who had serial assessments of regular physical activity, along with serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from at least two time points over four years. The effect of regular physical activity was examined on the progression of MRI parameters over time.

The study included 120 patients with early PD. The researchers observed significant associations for average regular physical activity levels over time with slower cortical thinning in temporoparietal cortical regions, including the lateral temporal cortex, the fusiform gyrus, the parahippocampal gyrus, and the inferior parietal cortex.

Associations were seen for regular physical activity levels over time, with slower volume loss in the hippocampus and amygdala. Slower decreases in temporoparietal cortical thickness and hippocampal volume mediated the association of regular physical activity with slower decline in memory and attention functions.

“Exercise may not just help with day-to-day symptoms—it could also affect how Parkinson’s disease progresses, especially in parts of the brain that support key cognitive functions in Parkinson’s disease,” co-author Pablo Mir, M.D., also from the University of Seville, said in a statement.

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Further evidence that physical activity helps maintain brain health