An all-Italian research has discovered the mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of intensive physical exercise in the brain
Researchers from the Catholic University and the Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS have made a revolutionary discovery: intense physical exercise can slow down the progression of Parkinson’s disease and have identified the biological mechanisms that are responsible for it. This discovery is fundamental for the development of non-pharmacological approaches in the treatment of the disease. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, involved a team of researchers from various institutions: Neuroscientists of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the Catholic University, Campus of Rome, and of the Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS Foundation. Researchers have identified a hitherto unknown mechanism that explains the positive effects of exercise on human health brain plasticity. Professor Paolo Calabresi, one of the authors of the study, commented: “we have discovered a mechanism never observed before, through which physical exercise practiced in the early stages of the disease induces beneficial effects on movement control that can last even after the suspension of training“. This could lead to the identification of new therapeutic targets and functional markers for the development of complementary treatments to current pharmacological therapies.
Vigorous exercise: the defense of the brain in the fight against Parkinson’s
Strenuous exercise is associated with increased production of a growth factor called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The researchers observed that a four-week treadmill training protocol reduced the spread of pathological alpha-synuclein aggregates, which are responsible for neuronal dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease. This had a neuroprotective effect, preserving the survival of the neurons that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine and restoring the ability of striatal neurons to express a form of dopamine-dependent plasticity. The effect of intensive physical activity was reflected in the improvement of motor control and ofvisuo-spatial learning in the animals involved in the study. The researchers also found that BDNF interacts with the NMDA glutamate receptor, allowing neurons in the striatum to respond more efficiently to stimuli. Professor Calabresi pointed out that their research team is also conducting a clinical study to see if intensive exercise can identify new markers to monitor the progression of Parkinson’s disease. Furthermore, they will continue to study the neuroinflammatory and neuroimmune components of the disease, in order to identify the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of physical exercise.
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