作者：辛西娅·休伯特

2023年8月18日

Can physical exercise play an important role in slowing the progression of Parkinson’s disease? 博彩平台的一项新研究可能有助于回答这个问题。

Kinesiology Professors Matt Brown and Gwen Begue are monitoring the exercise habits of people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s or related conditions, measuring whether their activities positively affect biomarkers in the blood that promote brain health. 这样的改变可能会减少症状和残疾。

Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder marked by tremors, slowness of movement, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination. 它还会引起其他症状，包括抑郁和情绪压力。 这种情况通常会随着时间的推移而恶化。

A growing body of evidence has shown that regular exercise can help Parkinson’s patients manage symptoms including motor function, hypotension, and mood disorders, and may slow progression of the disease.

Sac州立大学的研究将通过评估血液中关键生物标志物的变化以及行为和运动技能的变化来记录体育活动的影响。

“We want to look at changes over time, gather evidence to see if exercise can actually help modify the disease,” said Brown.

In documenting both visible changes as well as molecular shifts, 囊状态’s research is different from most other Parkinson’s studies, which only look at one or the other.

“I’m interested in any kind of study that might benefit me and others in the future." -- Kim Forrester, research participant

About two dozen patients, recruited through the Parkinson’s Association of Northern California, are taking part in the pilot study this summer. 研究人员已经从Sac州立大学和一家私人基金会获得了几笔小额赠款，以资助这项试点工作，他们正在寻找额外的资金来继续这项工作。

研究人员正在通过多种方式从参与者那里收集数据。 First, they take medical histories of Parkinson’s patients via Zoom, and discuss their exercise habits. 然后参与者来到校园进行进一步的评估。

One such patient is Kim Forrester, whose most prominent Parkinson’s symptom is a persistent tremor in his left hand. 最近的一天，他坐在索拉诺霍尔实验室里，布朗和两名学生研究人员使用一台机器记录他的大脑活动，该机器通过放置在他头上的线圈传递磁脉冲。 他们工作时，电脑屏幕上闪烁着数据。

Forrester believes that physical activity helps him manage his Parkinson’s symptoms and was excited to learn that 囊状态 was seeking to document the possible link.

“I’m interested in any kind of study that might benefit me and others in the future,” said Forrester.

The researchers will evaluate Forrester’s blood for specific biological markers believed to promote brain health and look for evidence of whether exercise and fitness can help slow progression of the disease.

“Even if we are able to show that symptoms flatlined, that could be a sign that exercise is disease modifying,” because Parkinson’s is a degenerative condition, Brown noted.

弗雷斯特以前是一名潜水教练，他也喜欢跳伞和拳击，他相信运动帮助他保持了健康。

“I do some type of exercise six times a week,” he said. “I think it’s the best thing that you can do for yourself.”

故事在图片下面继续。

About a week later, Forrester came to Solano Hall’s Exercise Physiology 研究 Lab, where, after a blood draw, he hopped onto an exercise bicycle for 20 minutes. 他胸前的电极和连着管子的面罩测量了他的有氧适能，包括心率和耗氧量。

弗雷斯特一边骑车一边听音乐，学生研究人员记录了他的血压，并经常询问他的疲劳程度。

当他骑马时，研究小组为他欢呼和鼓励。

“Everything is looking great here,” Begue said as she studied information appearing on a computer screen in front of her.

“You’ve got this, Kim!” others said. “Keep digging!”

弗雷斯特一下车，就接受了第二次抽血，一小时后又接受了第三次抽血。 他的血液和其他研究参与者的血液将被评估与大脑健康有关的分子。

After the first phase of the study is complete, perhaps this winter, researchers will compare all of the data gathered to information from members of a control group who have not been diagnosed with Parkinson’s or related conditions.

Ultimately, Begue said, the project could contribute to research on whether Parkinson’s patients can benefit from “exercise prescriptions” designed to combat specific symptoms.

布朗说，运动症状通常是这种疾病的第一个明显迹象。 “But there is a slew of other symptoms that can signal Parkinson’s far earlier,” including gastrointestinal problems and hypotension.

研究人员说，运动可能对处于疾病早期阶段的人特别有效，但对各种残疾程度的患者都有帮助。

“We want to see if exercise can stimulate biomarkers that could lead to a slowing of the disease and a decrease in symptoms for Parkinson’s patients,” said Begue. “That’s the big picture.”