Daily Physical Activity May Reduce Risk of Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson Disease

Patients with Parkinson disease (PD) who engage in daily, physically demanding activities such as sports, exercise, or other leisure and recreational physical activities may reduce their risk of PD-related mild cognitive impairment and dementia, according to findings published in Mental Health and Physical Activity.

Study authors assessed the correlation between engagement in daily physical activity and clinical cognitive outcomes. Data was extracted from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative repository in July 2021.

Physical activity was examined yearly starting at second annual follow-up through fifth annual follow-up with the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly. Neuropsychological tests were also completed annually. The severity of motor symptoms was assessed using the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale-part III motor scale, with high scores representing greater severity.

Of the 482 patients with newly diagnosed PD at baseline, 307 participants who completed a clinical visit at the second annual follow up were included in the study, and 301 remained in the final assessment year.

Physical activity had significant within-person and between-person effects on the risk of developing PD-related cognitive impairment. Decreases in both physically demanding household activities and leisure/recreational activities were associated with increased risk.

“Individuals who became less active over the course of the study were at an increased risk of PD mild cognitive impairment and PD dementia, relative to individuals who became more active,” wrote researchers. “Individuals who on average were more physically active had a decreased risk of PD mild cognitive impairment and PD dementia.”

More severe motor symptoms were linked to a higher risk of developing PD mild cognitive impairment and PD dementia. However, risk was not connected with older age, education, gender, and occasion (all P values > .05).

“One unique aspect of the current findings is that physical activity was associated with cognitive impairment independently of motor severity,” concluded researchers. “Additionally, all participants were relatively newly diagnosed with PD (second year of diagnosis), which reduces concerns that differences in disease duration may be confounding the association between physical activity and cognitive impairment.”

Reference:
Jones JD, Baxter F, Timblin H, Rivas R, Hill CR. Physical inactivity is associated with Parkinson’s disease mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Ment Health Phys Act. Published online June 23, 2022. doi:10.1016/j.mhpa.2022.100461