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Exercise may prevent the degeneration of nerve cells that are normally impaired or destroyed by Parkinson’s disease, according to a study presented October 24 at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego.
In Parkinson's, cells in the brain that contain dopamine, a neurotransmitter essential for muscle control, progressively die until only a small percentage of them remains. Without dopamine, neurons can't send the appropriate messages for smooth motor control, resulting in the telltale symptoms of Parkinson's such as uncontrollable tremors, rigidity of limbs, slow movements and stooped posture.
The researchers examined the brains of rats that had been forced to exercise for seven days before receiving a toxin that normally induces Parkinson's disease. They found that, compared to animals that had not been exercised, significantly fewer dopamine-containing neurons died.
"Whereas a number of explanations could be offered as to why the exercised animals do so well, we have evidence that indicates it's because exercise stimulates production of key proteins that are important for survival of neurons," said study author Michael Zigmond, co-director of the Parkinson's Disease Center of Excellence at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Zigamond and his colleagues have initiated a small pilot study involving humans with Parkinson’s disease to determine if regular exercise has an impact on the progression of their disease. The patients will be enrolled in a 60-minute exercise program that meets three times a week.
Source: Medical Week staff, week of October 30, 2004
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