Article

Although physical exercise improves motor aspects of Parkinson's
disease (PD), it is not clear whether it may also have a neuroprotective effect.
Objective. In this 2-year follow-up study, we determined whether intensive
exercise in the early stages of the disease slows down PD progression. METHODS:
Forty newly diagnosed patients with PD were treated with rasagiline and randomly
assigned to 2 groups : MIRT Group (two 28-day multidisciplinary intensive
rehabilitation treatments [MIRT], at 1-year interval) and Control Group (only
drug). In both groups, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Section II (UPDRS
II), UPDRS III, 6-minute walking test (6MWT), Timed Up-and-Go test (TUG); PD
Disability Scale (PDDS), and l-dopa equivalents were assessed at baseline (T0), 6
months (T1), 1 year (T2), 18 months (T3), and 2 years (T4) later. RESULTS: Over 2
years, UPDRS II, UPDRS III, TUG, and PDDS differentially progressed in the 2
groups: In the MIRT Group, all scores at T4 were better than at T0 (all Ps <
.03). No changes were noted in the Control Group. l-dopa equivalent dosages
increased significantly only in the Control Group (P = .0015), with a decrease in
the percentages of patients in monotherapy (T1 40%; T2, T3, and T4 20%). In the
MIRT Group, the percentages of such patients remained higher (T1 and T2 100%; T3
89%; T4 75%). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that MIRT might slow down the
progression of motor decay, it might delay the need for increasing drug
treatment, and thus, it might have a neuroprotective effect.
CI - (c) The Author(s) 2014.
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Langue : ANGLAIS