Greater physical activity associated with slower progression in Parkinson's
For people with Parkinson's disease, higher levels of physical activity were associated with slower declines in thinking and memory as well as slower worsening of movement symptoms, according to a new study published in Neurology. The study does not prove that more physical activity causes slower progression of the disease; it only shows an association between the two.
A recent study published in Neurology has found that individuals with Parkinson's disease who engage in higher levels of physical activity experience slower declines in both cognitive function and movement symptoms compared to those with lower activity levels. The research, led by Dong-Woo Ryu of the University of Cincinnati in Ohio, involved 294 participants with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease, aged around 66 years.
Data was collected over a period of up to seven years, during which participants reported their weekly physical activity, including moderate and vigorous exercises. The study divided participants into three groups based on total physical activity time: low (up to four hours per week), medium (four to eight hours), and high (more than eight hours).
Results showed that the high activity group had significantly slower cognitive decline and motor symptom progression compared to the low activity group. Researchers emphasized that while the differences between activity levels were small, they may become more significant over time, particularly for individuals with good cognitive function at the study's outset.
However, the study's observational nature means it cannot definitively establish causation, and some limitations include participant self-reporting of physical activity.
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