Rasha konane Afthab¹, Esraa Bashir Malik¹, Mohammad Waqas1
Parkinson’s disease presents as a complicated neurodegenerative pathology characterized by a combination of motor and non-motor symptoms. Noteworthy, there is presently no curative intervention available, imposing a focus on symptomatic intervention. Symptomatic intervention is a broad-based approach consisting of five key elements: rehabilitation, therapy, maintenance, surgical interventions, and restorative strategies, the latter of which notably incorporates aerobic exercise. This study thoroughly examines the impact of aerobic exercise on brain structure and function in individuals with Parkinson’s disease.
Relevant articles published on PubMed,
ResearchGate, and Google Scholar dated between
2013-2022 were comprehensively analyzed. The
criteria for inclusion incorporated articles that either
made comparisons between aerobic exercise and
alternative treatments for Parkinson's disease or
provided insights into the specific effects of aerobic
exercise in managing PD. Articles discussing aerobic
exercise for non-PD conditions were excluded, as were
those exploring unrelated subtopics to align with the
research objective.
The research findings demonstrate that regular
aerobic exercise offers neuroprotective benefits,
promoting stability in brain function, optimizing
neurotransmitter activity, and enhancing overall
neural activity. Furthermore, increased connectivity
was observed within key brain networks, including the
frontoparietal network
Adherence to aerobic exercise regimens has shown promise in alleviating
Parkinson's disease symptoms, equivalent to some pharmaceutical interventions, particularly
in the mild or early stages of the condition. Patients participating in aerobic exercise control
groups exhibited fewer motor symptoms during post-assessment evaluations, and
neuroimaging revealed reduced levels of brain atrophy. Guidelines for exercise in Parkinson's
disease suggest that having aerobic training for 3-5 days per week, with sessions that last
about 20- 60 minutes at moderate intensity, along with 2-3 days of resistance training
involving 1-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions at 40-50% of one's maximum capacity. However,
challenges arise in patient adherence to these exercise regimens, and there remains a lack of
conclusive evidence regarding the impact that aerobic exercise has on non-motor symptoms
of the pathology, such as mood disorders and apathy.
