Aerobic Exercise: Evidence for a Direct Brain Effect to Slow Parkinson Disease Progression

Dr Ahlskog with a quick review of the studies which looked at the benefit of aerobic exercise for PWP (2018)

youtube.com/watch?v=1xFybA9...(Not working as expected?)

Note, he ends with the most significant point. You need to take C/L such that you can move well and thus be able to exercise!

The complete paper:

Aerobic Exercise: Evidence for a Direct Brain Effect to Slow Parkinson Disease Progression

mayoclinicproceedings.org/a...

"Abstract - No medications are proven to slow the progression of Parkinson disease (PD). Of special concern with longer-standing PD is cognitive decline, as well as motor symptoms unresponsive to dopamine replacement therapy. Not fully recognized is the substantial accumulating evidence that long-term aerobic exercise may attenuate PD progression. Randomized controlled trial proof will not be forthcoming due to many complicating methodological factors. However, extensive and diverse avenues of scientific investigation converge to argue that aerobic exercise and cardiovascular fitness directly influence cerebral mechanisms mediating PD progression. To objectively assess the evidence for a PD exercise benefit, a comprehensive PubMed literature search was conducted, with an unbiased focus on exercise influences on parkinsonism, cognition, brain structure, and brain function. This aggregate literature provides a compelling argument for regular aerobic-type exercise and cardiovascular fitness attenuating PD progression."

[Smittybear7]

Thanks for sharing

[Lyricist]

This is precisely my philosophy for dealing with the disease. Exercise is central to my well-being and has a knock-on effect on my abilities in other areas. So thanks for underlining an essential, sensible and central tenet of the basic approach to PD for everyone who can do it. We can all do something that pushes our own personal physical boundaries

[Dap1948]

A great reminder. I went for my power walk this morning imagining my hippocampus growing, the BDNF and GDNF multiplying, my white matter increasing... My head was so big when I returned home I could hardly get through the door!! 🤣. Walk, cycle, dance whatever as long as you raise your heart rate

[kaypeeoh in reply to Dap1948]

And while you're at it try a marijuana brownie.

[curlscurls in reply to Dap1948]

I'm been trying to add self-hypnosis. Also self-talk. So far I have "I am living with an abundant supply of healthy dopamine-related cells and an abundant supply of dopamine." I'll refine it as I understand the problem more. I'll add a mantra about plenty of BDNF with my GDNF multiplying and dopamine transmitting cells creating an ample amount of new healthy cells.

I also go to my doctor, exercise, take meds, and .... figure good self-talk is good for yourself. Even if people passing you take a 2nd look.

[Mimer]

Thanks for sharing! Interesting review article. One other possible mechanism not explicitly mentioned in the paper is the mitochondrial dysfunction that might be one of the root factors for PD. The effect of each mitochondrion and the number of mitochondria are also positively affected by aerobic exercise. It is likely to affect also the mitochondria in the neurons.

[kaypeeoh]

My main problem with exercise is blisters. Nobody makes shoes designed for my wider-than-a-duck feet. Early Man climbed out of the trees. Later evolved to run away from saber toothed tigers. So early Man had wide feet that gave balance in the trees. Later early Man had narrow-skinny feet that made running easier. But not all of us evolved.

[curlscurls in reply to kaypeeoh]

Those shoes with toes? Keep that older, more natural, you? If you need wide, you need wide. I've found wide a few times over the years.

[kaypeeoh in reply to curlscurls]

xkcd.com/1065/