People with Parkinson's disease who stay physically active may hold on to memory, thinking and movement skills for years longer than those who do not, according to a study that followed patients for up to seven years.
The research, published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology, tracked 294 adults with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease. Their average age was 66. Participants reported how many hours a week they spent moving at work, at home and in hobbies or recreation.
Two declines, one habit
Higher activity was linked to slower decline on both sides of the disease: the movement symptoms that define it, and the cognitive changes that often follow. The group reporting more than eight hours of activity a week showed almost no average decline in memory and thinking over the study period.
"Previous research has shown associations between physical activity and movement symptoms," said study author Dong-Woo Ryu of the University of Cincinnati. "Our study found physical activity may have dual benefits, with associations with slower declines in movement and cognition."
What the study cannot say
The design tracks people over time rather than testing exercise as a treatment. That means it shows a connection, not proof that activity slows the disease. People who are more active may also be those whose disease is progressing more slowly to begin with, a pattern researchers try to correct for but cannot fully remove.
Even so, the finding fits a growing body of work linking movement to brain health, including studies that tie walking speed and daily step counts to longer life.
What patients can take from it
The activity in the study was not gym training. It was the ordinary movement of work, housework and hobbies, which makes the result easier to act on than a prescription for structured exercise. Clinicians say the practical message is to keep moving where it is safe, and to raise the topic with a neurologist rather than treat the finding as a cure.