The randomized clinical trial included 128 participants ages 40 to 80 years old at Rush University Medical Center, Northwestern University, the University of Colorado, and the University of Pittsburgh. Rush recruited two thirds of the participants in the study.
“The study results suggest that people who exercised at high intensity delayed the progression of Parkinson’s symptoms, while moderate intensity workouts had no effect,” said Dr. Deborah Hall, associate professor in the Rush Department of Neurology and a co-lead author of the study results. Dr. Cynthia Comella, professor of neurology at Rush, was also a lead neurologist in the conduct and publication of the study.
In addition, most studies have not precisely measured or controlled exercise intensity, and none have been conducted at 80 to 85 percent maximum heart rate. It was thought that high-intensity exercise was too physically stressful for individuals with Parkinson’s disease. However, in this study the participants were able to maintain the high intensity treadmill exercise at least three times weekly for six months at the target heart rate.
The results warrant further exploration of the optimal exercise regimes for Parkinson’s disease and to evaluate whether exercise could slow progression of the disease itself, according to Hall and Comella.