The 30-second article
• A neurodegenerative disorder , Parkinson ’ s disease is caused by the death or deterioration of brain cells that produce dopamine
• It can lead to motor symptoms such as tremors , slowness of movement , muscle stiffness , impaired balance and coordination , and problems with speech
• Research has shown that exercise affects the way the brain uses dopamine in a way that reduces the symptoms of Parkinson ’ s
• Because it is complex , repetitive and intense , boxing is one of the most effective forms of exercise for those with Parkinson ’ s
• Punchin Parko ’ s is a boxing program aimed at Parkinson ’ s sufferers that is achieving impressive results with participants .
has emerged that , while not able to cure Parkinson ’ s , can slow down the progress of the disease and , in some cases , reduce the amount of medication required while improving the sufferers physical symptoms .
Its name ? Exercise . Working in the fitness industry , we are familiar with the effect that exercise can have on the brain and body – just look at how it influences mood disorders such as depression ( which , incidentally , affects many Parkinson ’ s sufferers ). As a fitness professional , I have often espoused the many benefits of exercising , but nothing prepared me for the effect exercise has had on my Parkinson ’ s symptoms .
It seems that the old saying ‘ use it or lose it ’ is especially true of Parkinson ’ s . If I want to maintain my mobility , decrease the number of falls I experience and generally keep my quality of life at a high level , I need to exercise . It also seems that while a little bit of exercise is good , a lot of exercise is better !
How exercise changes the brain
What happens in the brain to produce these visible benefits ? According to the US National Parkinson ’ s Foundation , researchers at the University of Southern California ( Fisher et al .) looked at the brains of the mice that had exercised under conditions parallel to a human treadmill study . The results were very interesting , adding more weight to the argument for exercise as one of the major treatments for Parkinson ’ s . The study showed that while exercising doesn ’ t change the amount of dopamine or neurons in the brain , it does increase the efficiency of the brain cells ’ use of that dopamine . Further , scientists at the University of Pittsburgh found that exercise reduced the vulnerability of dopamine neurons to damage .
The latest research is indicating that exercise enables our brains to use dopamine more efficiently and increases the number of dopamine receptors ( called the D2 receptor ), allowing the cells to receive a stronger signal .
What type of exercise ?
Of course , the big question is , what is the most effective type of exercise to help a Parkinson ’ s sufferer slow down the advance of the condition ?
In the case of Parkinson ’ s , one exercise regime that has been getting amazing results is boxing . Of course , I ’ m not talking about getting into the ring and hitting someone ( or worse , getting hit – I know you ’ re probably thinking about Muhammad Ali ). What we are talking about is the ‘ art ’ of boxing , using focus pads , boxing bags ,
I was 39 when the symptoms first appeared , as a small tremor in my hands and occasionally in my legs
NETWORK SPRING 2017 | 31