Physical exercise as intervention in Parkinsonism

Abstract

Physical exercise, particularly for individuals with sedentary occupations and independent of activity type, offers probably the most effective health-ensuring policy available. The associations between physical exercise and symptoms/ biomarkers of idiopathic Parkinsonism and animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD), quality of life and self-reliance, disorder progression, and risk factors all support the contention that activity provides for an improved prognosis. In the present treatise, mice treated with the selective dopamine neurotoxin (1-methyl-4- phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, 3 x 30 mg/kg once each week over three weeks), or Vehicle, were given access to running-wheel exercise from the week following the first injection of MPTP onwards: The MPTP-Exercise group received four 30-min sessions in the running wheels (Mondays to Thursdays), whereas the MPTP No-exercise and Vehicle groups received a single session each week (Wednesdays). It was observed that the MPTP+Exercise group increased the distance run on each Wednesday 30-min session incrementally, whereas the MPTP No-exercise and Vehicle groups remained at the same distance throughout; similarly, during the 10-min test session on Fridays, prior to the tests of motor activity, the MPTP+Exercise group increased the distance run on each successive occasion but the MPTP No-exercise and Vehicle groups did not. In the tests of spontaneous motor activity, running- wheel exercise over 4 days/week (30 min, Mon.-Thurs.) improved all three parameters of motor activity, locomotion, rearing, and total activity, in the activity test chamber during test weeks 2-7, compared to the MPTP group following the MPTP administration. In the L-Dopa-induced activity test, running-wheel exercise over 4 days/week enhanced locomotor and rearing but not total activity following the subthreshold dose of L-Dopa for the MPTP+Exercise group but not the MPTP No-exercise group. Running-wheel exercise over 4 days/week increased the DA concentrations in the striatum of MPTP+Exercise mice.