More activity linked to slower Parkinson disease progression

In an observational cohort study, researchers analysed data from 294 people with mild-to-moderate Parkinson disease, whose mean age was 66.4 years. Participants reported their physical activity through standardised interviews. Follow-up lasted up to five years for cognitive scores and seven years for movement scores. Higher cognitive scores meant better performance.

Higher activity levels were linked to slower cognitive and movement-related progression. Researchers divided participants into thirds by total activity time. Movement scores, where higher scores meant worse symptoms, fell by an estimated 0.783 points annually in the highest third and rose by 0.143 points in the lowest. Recent activity remained linked to both outcomes after accounting for activity over the previous 10 years. Vigorous activity was no longer linked to outcomes after accounting for total activity time.