Effects of Different Volumes of Aerobic Exercise on Blood Biomarkers and Brain Function in Parkinsons Disease Patients A 4-Week Observational Study

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how different amounts of aerobic exercise affect brain-derived neurotrophic factor BDNF levels in people with Parkinsons disease. This pilot observational study compares two rehabilitation exercise programs with different energy expenditures to see how they influence BDNF and other biomarkers, motor and non-motor symptoms, brain activity, and connectivity. The goal is to understand the dose-response relationship between exercise volume and these changes. Participants are divided into two groups the Extensive Rehabilitation Group will perform 45-minute sessions of low-intensity aerobic exercise twice a week, totaling 180 METs-minutes per week. The Intensive Rehabilitation Group will do 45-minute sessions of high-intensity aerobic exercise five days a week, reaching 1350 METs-minutes per week. Both exercise programs last for 4 weeks. During the study, participants will undergo blood tests to measure BDNF and other peripheral biomarkers at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Researchers will also assess motor symptoms, cognitive function, quality of life, gait parameters, cortical activity using EEG, and brain connectivity with fMRI. The study involves monitoring changes over time to evaluate how exercise intensity influences these health markers in Parkinsons disease patients.

To Evaluate the Dose-response Effects of a Defined Volume of Physical Exercise on the Change of Peripheral Biomarkers, Clinical Response and Brain Connectivity in Parkinson's Disease: a Prospective, Observational, Cohort Pilot Study