Parkinson's disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterised by progressive worsening of motor symptoms.
In the UK, in 2020 there were an estimated 145,000 people living with Parkinson's in the UK.
With the population growth and ageing, it is estimated that this will grow to 172,000 by 2030.
There is currently no cure for the disease, although medications, occupational therapy and speech therapy have been shown to help alleviate symptoms.
Now, researchers have uncovered a certain type of exercise which reduces misfolded protein clumps in the brain cells that can lead to brain death.
It’s believed that undergoing more of this type of exercise could help further reduce a person’s risk of developing Parkinson's later in life.
First signs of Parkinson's
Common early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include:
- Tremor
- Slowed movement (bradykinesia)
- Rigid muscles
- Impaired posture and balance
- Loss of automatic movements
- Speech changes
- Writing changes.
Many of Parkinson’s disease symptoms are due to the accumulation of alpha-synuclein clumps, which lead to brain cell death.
Previous research has found that exercise helps to improve cognitive function and holds great merit for those wanting to reduce their risk of Parkinson's or Alzheimer’s disease.
Recent research identified irisin, a molecule secreted into the blood during endurance exercise, may contribute the most to this benefit.
Irisin is also an anti-obesity and anti-diabetes hormone that regulates fat tissue and blood sugar.
A study published in PNAS noted the powerful effects of exercise when it comes to certain clumps in the body.
Researchers noted that irisin, which can be produced during aerobic exercise, helps prevent the formation of these clumps.
“The results of this study are significant because, although we know that physical activity and exercise are beneficial for people with Parkinson’s, it’s currently unclear how this impacts the cells and processes in the brain that are contributing to symptoms of the condition,” said Dr Katherine Fletcher, research communications manager at Parkinson’s UK.
She added: “This study sheds some light on how a hormone produced during exercise might be acting to protect vital brain cells from dying in Parkinson’s.”
Other ways to increase your irisin include:
- High fat diet
- Exercise
- Extreme temperatures (shivering and sauna)
- Hormones like leptin and growth hormone
- Supplements like CoQ10 and holy basil
- Drugs like Metformin
- Devices like whole-body vibration.
Can you smell Parkinson's disease?
In recent news, a woman claimed she was able to smell Parkinson's on her husband, describing it as a “musky aroma, different from his normal scent”.
Joy Milne from Perth in Scotland said she had detected this odour 12 years before his diagnosis.
Scientists are now trying to harness the power of her hyper-sensitive sense of smell to help develop a test determining whether people have Parkinson's.
Mrs Milne is believed to have a rare condition that gives her a heightened sense of smell, with the medical world now attempting to recreate her abilities.
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