Intensity of Aerobic Training and Neuroprotection in Parkinson's Disease

In phenotypic animal models of Parkinson's Disease (PD), chronic physical exercise has produced nigrostriatal neuroprotection and symptom improvement, provided training was of high-intensity and prolonged duration (\>3 months in rodent models). Conventional physical therapy in Parkinson's disease (PD) has traditionally avoided fatigue and high intensity workouts. Yet, in PD controlled studies have shown that: (i) an acute aerobic stress produces endogenous dopamine immediately after the exercise and (ii) short term (a few weeks) high intensity aerobic training enhances D2 striatal receptor density and cortical excitability and clinically improves walking, upper limb and executive functions; (iii) long-term (six months) high intensity aerobic treadmill training is associated with less deterioration of subjective UPDRS III score compared to a waiting list. Long-term high intensity aerobic training has not been compared to low or medium intensity training in PD patients for its objective motor, cognitive and putative neuroprotective effects.