Weekly physical activity could help to slow down disease progression in Parkinson’s patients, a new study found.
The research, led by the University of Cincinnati, included 294 patients with mild-to-moderate Parkinson’s disease. Their average age was 66.
The participants reported their weekly physical activity via questionnaires.
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Physical activity was assessed through structured interviews covering moderate and vigorous activities at work, at home and during recreation.
Examples of moderate activity included brisk walking, light swimming, doubles tennis and household activities such as washing windows, vacuuming or mowing the lawn, the study release stated.
Vigorous activity included pursuits like jogging, fast bicycling, team sports and singles tennis, along with shoveling and carrying heavy loads.
Participants were divided into three groups based on their amount of weekly physical activity — up to four hours, four to eight hours and more than eight hours.
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The researchers then monitored the participants’ cognitive health for up to five years and their motor function for up to seven years.
Each additional hour of physical activity per week was linked to slightly slower declines in memory, thinking and movement abilities over time, even after accounting for factors such as age, sex, education, weight and disease severity.
Patients who were physically active for four to eight hours per week experienced slower declines in memory and thinking abilities than those who exercised less than four hours.
Exercise duration above eight hours per week did not appear to provide additional benefits for memory and thinking.
The study was published Oct. 7 in Neurology, the official medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
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“Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes movement and cognitive problems that gradually worsen, leading to disability and a loss of independence,” study author Dong-Woo Ryu, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Cincinnati and The Catholic University of Korea, said in the press release.
“Previous research has shown associations between physical activity and movement symptoms. Our study found physical activity may have dual benefits, with associations with slower declines in movement and cognition.”
Ryu pointed out that the potential benefits of physical activity for Parkinson’s patients may depend on how long they stay active and whether they continue exercising over time.
“While our study found small differences between activity levels, these differences may become more meaningful over time,” he said.
The researchers cautioned that most participants had relatively strong thinking and memory skills when the study began, so additional research is needed to confirm the findings.
“Exercise has well-established benefits for physical fitness and mobility, along with potential benefits for brain health through mechanisms that are not yet fully understood,” Dr. Vibhash Sharma, a neurologist at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas, who specializes in Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, told Fox News Digital.
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“These findings further emphasize the importance of regular physical activity in managing Parkinson’s disease.”
One of the strengths of the study is that patients were followed over several years, with assessments of both motor and cognitive function, noted Sharma, who was not involved in the research.
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The study did have some limitations, the researchers acknowledged.
Because the study was observational, it could not establish whether exercise directly slows Parkinson’s disease progression.
Also, as participants reported their own physical activity, they may not have accurately remembered how much they exercised.
The participants were all located at a single location and were primarily White, which could limit the generalizability of the results, the researchers noted.
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“It is also possible that patients with inherently slower-progressing disease are more likely to remain physically active,” Sharma added.
Randomized studies are needed to confirm whether exercise directly slows cognitive or motor decline, according to the researchers.
The study was supported by a grant from the Gardner Family Foundation and the Precision Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases Fund.
