TL;DR
A study of 294 adults with mild to moderate Parkinson’s found that higher physical activity was associated with slower decline in thinking and memory and less worsening of movement symptoms over as long as seven years. The observational findings do not show that exercise caused the differences, and researchers say further studies are needed.
A study following 294 adults with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease found that participants reporting more physical activity had slower declines in thinking and memory and less worsening of movement symptoms over as long as seven years. Published October 7 in Neurology, the research identifies an association, not proof that exercise itself slows Parkinson’s progression.
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The participants were 66 years old on average and completed questionnaires estimating their weekly activity at work, at home and during recreation. Researchers grouped reported activity by intensity, including moderate activities such as brisk walking, leisurely swimming and household tasks, as well as more vigorous pursuits such as running, faster cycling and team sports. Participants were also classified by total weekly activity time: up to four hours, four to eight hours, or more than eight hours.
Researchers assessed cognition and movement symptoms each year. On a 30-point thinking-and-memory test, the least active group’s scores fell by an estimated 0.478 points annually. The estimated annual decline was 0.090 points in the moderately active group and 0.007 points in the most active group, whose scores were nearly unchanged on average.
Movement symptoms were measured on a scale from zero to 132, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms. The least active group’s scores rose by an estimated 0.143 points per year. Scores fell by 0.225 points annually in the moderately active group and 0.783 points in the most active group. The researchers reported that the association remained after accounting for age, sex and time living with Parkinson’s. Higher activity time, overall activity volume and vigorous activity were each linked to slower decline in both areas.
Two Symptom Measures Showed Associations
Parkinson’s disease can affect both movement and cognitive abilities, and changes in either can shape a person’s ability to manage daily life. The study’s reported association across both movement symptoms and cognition adds to evidence that physical activity may be relevant to more than mobility for people living with the condition.
The researchers said small differences in annual rates of change could become more meaningful if they persist over several years. But the results do not establish that becoming more active will produce the same outcomes for another person, or that exercise can prevent or reverse progression. The study is best read as evidence of a relationship that merits further investigation, not as a treatment finding.
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How Researchers Tracked Activity
The research team examined activity in three ways: weekly time spent in moderate or vigorous activities, an activity-volume measure combining duration and intensity, and time spent specifically in vigorous activities. Each measure was associated with slower deterioration in thinking and movement symptoms, according to the study summary.
Participants began with an average movement-symptom score of 23 out of 132. Their cognitive skills were generally good at the study’s start, a point the researchers said calls for caution when interpreting the results. The study was funded by a grant from the Gardner Family Foundation and the Precision Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases Fund.
“The possible benefits of physical activity for people with Parkinson’s disease may depend on how long they stay active and whether they continue exercising over time.”
— Dong-Woo Ryu, study author
Cause and Activity Levels Remain Unclear
The study was observational, so it cannot determine whether physical activity slowed symptom decline. Other factors may help explain why more active participants experienced different rates of change; adjusting for age, sex and disease duration does not rule out every possible influence.
Activity estimates came from participants’ own questionnaires, rather than direct monitoring, and may be inaccurate. The findings also concern adults with mild to moderate Parkinson’s who generally had good thinking and memory skills at the start. The report does not establish that the same pattern applies to people at other stages of the disease. It also does not specify an exercise prescription or show that starting a particular activity level changes outcomes.
Further Studies Must Test Causation
Further research is needed to determine whether exercise itself can slow changes in Parkinson’s symptoms, as opposed to simply being associated with them. Studies using direct measures of activity and following participants over time could help clarify how activity patterns relate to outcomes.
For now, the published findings support a connection between reported activity and slower decline, but do not establish a cause-and-effect relationship. The study’s authors say the results should be interpreted cautiously, particularly given participants’ initial cognitive performance and the limits of self-reported activity.
Key Questions
What did the study find about exercise and Parkinson’s?
Among 294 adults with mild to moderate Parkinson’s, higher reported physical activity was associated with slower declines in thinking and memory and less worsening of movement symptoms over as long as seven years.
Does the study prove exercise slows Parkinson’s progression?
No. It was an observational study and found a connection between activity and symptom changes. It cannot establish that exercise caused the differences.
How was physical activity measured?
Participants estimated their weekly activity in questionnaires covering work, household tasks and recreation. Researchers classified activities by intensity and considered total time, activity volume and vigorous-exercise time.
What limitation did the researchers identify?
Activity levels were self-reported rather than directly measured, so estimates may have been inaccurate. The researchers also cautioned that participants generally had good cognitive skills at the start of the study.
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