Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have released new findings that suggest regular physical activity can help slow the progression of both cognitive and motor symptoms in people with Parkinson’s disease. The study, published in the October 7 issue of Neurology, followed 294 participants with mild‑to‑moderate Parkinson’s over several years.
Study design and participant profile
The average age of the participants was 66 years, and they were asked to report their weekly physical activity through structured interviews. Activities were categorized as moderate (e.g., brisk walking, light swimming, doubles tennis, household chores such as vacuuming or mowing the lawn) or vigorous (e.g., jogging, fast bicycling, team sports, singles tennis, shoveling, carrying heavy loads). Based on their responses, participants were placed into three groups: up to four hours per week, four to eight hours per week, and more than eight hours per week.
Key findings
Over a monitoring period of up to five years for cognitive health and up to seven years for motor function, the researchers observed a clear pattern: each additional hour of physical activity per week was associated with a slightly slower decline in memory, thinking, and movement abilities. After adjusting for age, sex, education, weight, and disease severity, the benefit remained evident.
Patients who engaged in four to eight hours of activity each week experienced noticeably slower cognitive decline compared with those who exercised less than four hours. However, increasing activity beyond eight hours per week did not produce further measurable gains in cognition, suggesting a plateau effect for the cognitive benefits of exercise.
Expert commentary
Study lead author Dr. Dong‑Woo Ryu, M.D., Ph.D., emphasized that while the differences between activity levels were modest, they could become more meaningful over time. “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,” said Dr. Vibhash Sharma, a neurologist at UT Southwestern who was not involved in the research.
Both researchers cautioned that the study’s observational nature limits the ability to claim a direct causal relationship between exercise and slowed disease progression. Self‑reported activity levels may be subject to recall bias, and the participants were primarily White and drawn from a single location, which could affect the generalizability of the results.
Implications for patients and caregivers
Despite these limitations, the findings reinforce existing recommendations that regular physical activity is a valuable component of Parkinson’s disease management. The study suggests that maintaining a consistent routine of moderate‑to‑vigorous exercise—aiming for at least four hours per week—may help preserve both cognitive function and mobility for a longer period.
Future randomized controlled trials are needed to determine whether exercise can directly slow the underlying neurodegenerative processes of Parkinson’s disease. In the meantime, clinicians are encouraged to discuss individualized activity plans with their patients, taking into account each person’s abilities, preferences, and overall health status.
Funding and disclosures
The research was supported by a grant from the Gardner Family Foundation and the Precision Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases Fund.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
