- What's good for the body, may be even better for the brain.
Researchers are about to launch a new fitness study to find out if
exercising can help patients with Parkinson's disease.
A recent study on exercise presented to the American Academy of
Neurology found people who work out vigorously reduce their risk for
Parkinson's Disease.

Researchers discovered when they adjusted for things like age,
gender, smoking, and other health habits, those who exercised had a
40 percent lower risk for Parkinson's, compared to those who did
not.

Dr. Alberto Espay and a team of researchers will soon launch a new
study on Parkinson's and exercise to see if it makes any difference
in those who are being treated with the disease.

Dale Ankenman says it does. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's four
years ago. He and his wife Barbara ride a tandem bike at least three
days a week.

Espay said based on how the brain seems to respond to exercise
Ankenman may be on to something. He said exercise appears to help in
the short term by improving medication absorption and reducing
Parkinson's symptoms such as tremors, stiffness, and rigidity.

"But there probably is something in the longer term, which we are
unable to measure yet. It's probably a change in the way the cells
interact with each other and the way to the body ends up behaving as
a whole," he said.

Liz Bonis
9/20/07(13WHAM.com)