Education 

Could Exercise Delay the Course of PD?

Written by Jackie Russell, RN, BSN, CNOR

Exercise has been clearly proven advantageous to both cardiovascular health and maintenance of strength and flexibility in any individual throughout the aging process. But, an emerging reality is the positive effect that a regular fitness agenda can have on the course of Parkinson's disease (PD). When exercise is added to current medication therapies, disease progression may slow or halt due to the effect that seems to have on helping the brain produce its own protective chemicals.

PD Basics

Physiologically, PD in the adult demonstrates a drop in dopamine levels in the brain. Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, appears to regulate the level of neural activity needed to start or end a movement. Lack of dopamine leads to inadequate muscle activation resulting in slowness of movement (bradykinesia), or incompletion of a movement (hypokinesia). It also interferes with the ability to maintain upright posture resulting in poor balance. However, people with PD retain the ability to increase muscle activation and can learn to perform larger and faster movements using conscious effort.

Research

A growing body of scientific evidence indicates that physical activity has a neuroprotective effect on the brain and nervous system. In the animal model, studies reveal that exercise works at the molecular level to inhibit the death of dopamine-producing cells, concurrently increasing synaptic activity thereby maintaining the level of dopamine utilized in the brain. The result is improvement of the motor impairments associated with PD. The findings suggest regular physical activity is needed to prevent PD symptoms from developing and progressing. It is reasonable to hypothesize that this data translates to human PD models, and holds promise for every individual diagnosed with PD. Clinical trials are presently ongoing to help determine how often and how intense the exercise program should be to exhibit the most robust effect on symptoms.

This brings up the concept of neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is defined as the ability of the nervous system to adapt to trauma or disease, and that the brain can grow new nerve cells and even form new connections between neurons. Exercise actually stimulates growth and production of healthy dopamine in normal brain cells; intense exercise is related to formation of new synapses, or connections. This is called neuroprotection - the release of a brain chemical with exercise that saves neurons from injury. Clearly, cells that produce and utilize dopamine respond positively to exercise.

The idea that something as simple as exercise may be neuroprotective is an exciting breakthrough. With overwhelming scientific evidence and convincing patient testimonials, start exercising today. This treatment does not require FDA approval, is readily available and can be safely combined with medications. Most importantly, it empowers the individual to take control of the disease with a proactive approach. You may have Parkinson's disease, but it does not have you.