Posted on 07/16/2023 5:20:53 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
Neuroscientists have found that intensive exercise could slow the course of Parkinson's disease. The finding could pave the way for new non-drug approaches.
The research has identified a new mechanism responsible for the positive effects of exercise on brain plasticity.
Professor Paolo Calabresi, said, "We have discovered a never observed mechanism, through which exercise performed in the early stages of the disease induces beneficial effects on movement control that may last over time even after training is suspended."
Previous work has shown that intensive physical activity is associated with increased production of a critical growth factor, the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
The authors were able to reproduce this phenomenon in response to a four-week treadmill training protocol in an animal model of early-stage Parkinson's disease, and to demonstrate, for the first time, how this neurotrophic factor determines the beneficial effects of physical activity in the brain.
The main effect observed in response to daily sessions of treadmill training is a reduction in the spread of pathological alpha-synuclein aggregates, which in Parkinson's disease leads to the gradual and progressive dysfunction of neurons in specific brain areas (the substantia nigra pars compacta and the striatum—constituting the so-called nigrostriatal pathway), essential to motor control.
The neuroprotective effect of physical activity is associated with the survival of neurons releasing the neurotransmitter dopamine and with the consequent striatal neurons' ability to express a form of dopamine-dependent plasticity, aspects otherwise impaired by the disease.
As a result, motor control and visuospatial learning, which depend on nigrostriatal activity, are conserved in animals that practice intensive training.
Neuroscientists have also found that BDNF, whose levels increase with exercise, interacts with the NMDA receptor for glutamate, enabling neurons in the striatum to respond efficiently to stimuli, with effects that persist beyond the exercise practice.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Then the intense exercise will freeze your coronary arteries.
Meaning, the person already has Parkinsons.
So I have to wonder, how many people with Parkinsons CAN "exercise intensively"?
Intense exercise may help to keep the disease at bay until you fall over dead from the clot shot.
One might infer that a pre-Parkinson’s exercise course might put one in position to delay or mitigate impact of a subsequent onset.
Depends what stage they are.
Well I hope I never get parkinson’s then, I’d just have to let it take over.
Why?
“Intense exercise” is a well known widow maker.😎
Nonsense. If you’re talking about marathon running, it is by definition not intense. Anything anyone can do for 3+ straight hours isn’t intense.
Sprinting a 400m dash is intense.
The key is to start when young and never stop.
I started young. Lettered in track and football in high school. Not young anymore!🤔
Nice!
I’m still training to compete in Masters T&F, and I play volleyball.
I still have fire… :)
There is a great nationwide Parkinson’s exercise program called Rock Steady Boxing
Side effect of the jabs :-(
I did Senior Olympic stuff until my right ankle collapsed in 2018.🤨
Not the ankle part, but that’s awesome.
I’ll probably compete until I break too. :)
Left ankle went on me too last year. At least I got a blue parking placard out of it. Just turned 83. I’d encourage everybody to keep at it as long as you can but when the body starts complaining LISTEN!🫥
I’m only 48, so I have time.
It sounds like you lasted a long time, especially for competition.
Do you do yoga, swimming, and/or go for walks/hikes?
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