Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disease. It can cause tremors, muscle stiffness, and balance and mobility problems. At first, it sounds like regular exercise is counterproductive. But that is not the case. Studies show that people with Parkinson's disease should actually do sports.
The results of the study
An der im Fachmagazin JAMA Neurology veröffentlichten study nahmen 128 Probanden im Alter zwischen 40 und 80 Jahren teil. Bei allen wurde die Parkinson-Krankheit neu diagnostiziert und sie nahmen noch keine Medikamente. Die Wissenschaftler haben die Probanden in drei Gruppen unterteilt. Eine Gruppe trainierte sechs Monate dreinmal wöchentlich bei hoher Intensität. Eine zweite Gruppe trainierte bei niedriger Intensität und eine dritte Gruppe machte gar keinen Sport. Die Ergebnisse:
- The slowest progression of the disease was observed in volunteers who trained at high intensity.
- Bei denjenigen, die nur mit geringer Intensität oder gar nichts trainierten, trat der Effekt der Verlangsamung nicht ein.
The connection between training and brain
It is not yet fully understood why intensive sport has this effect on Parkinson's disease. But researchers think that it is because of increased blood flow to the brain. So-called dopamine neurons in the brain help control movement. But people with Parkinson's disease do not produce enough of them. But when people do exercise, chemicals are released in the brain, including dopamine. That is why patients have been prescribed dopamine medication. The combination of training and medicine seems to be particularly recommended. The study also showed that regular exercise relieves symptoms like muscle stiffness and tremors.
