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Aerobic Exercise Alters Brain Function and Structure in Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Martin Wetterstrand, Ian G. M. Cameron, N. M. van der Kolk, N. D. de Vries, Eva Klimars, I. Toni, B. Bloem, R. C. Helmich

Annals of Neurology, 2021

275 citations

Abstract

Randomized clinical trials have shown that aerobic exercise attenuates motor symptom progression in Parkinson's disease, but the underlying neural mechanisms are unclear. Here, we investigated how aerobic exercise influences disease‐related functional and structural changes in the corticostriatal sensorimotor network, which is involved in the emergence of motor deficits in Parkinson's disease. Additionally, we explored effects of aerobic exercise on tissue integrity of the substantia nigra, and on behavioral and cerebral indices of cognitive control.

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Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design.

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