Does Physical Fitness Influence the Brain and Cognitive Abilities in People with Parkinson’s Disease?

Better physical fitness may play a protective role for the brains of people living with Parkinson’s disease. This neurodegenerative disease is characterized by the progressive loss of dopamine-producing neurons, leading to motor and cognitive disorders. Although there is still no curative treatment, non-drug approaches such as physical exercise are generating increasing interest.

A recent study examined the links between physical fitness, measured by maximum oxygen consumption and leg muscle power, and brain structure as well as cognitive functions. The results show that people in better physical condition have a larger overall brain volume, particularly in white matter and certain deep areas such as the putamen and the pallidum. They also achieve better scores on tests assessing memory, attention, and information processing speed.

Maximum oxygen consumption, an indicator of cardiorespiratory capacity, is particularly associated with better cognitive performance. Muscle power, on the other hand, appears to be linked to increased white matter and pallidum volume, as well as better cognitive function. These observations suggest that exercise, whether endurance or muscle strengthening, could help preserve brain health and slow cognitive decline in these patients.

Physical exercise likely acts by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, two mechanisms involved in neuronal degradation. It also stimulates the production of beneficial molecules for the brain, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which promotes the survival and growth of neurons. These effects could explain why regular physical activity is associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline and a better quality of life.

These findings reinforce the idea that exercise could be a simple and accessible strategy to protect the brains of people with Parkinson’s disease. They also pave the way for more in-depth studies to determine the most effective types of exercise and the precise mechanisms by which they act.

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Reference Document

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-026-01098-x

Title: Is physical fitness associated with brain structure and function in Parkinson’s disease?

Journal: Brain Imaging and Behavior

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Authors: Adrian R. Corfitsen; Mikkel K. E. Nygaard; Simon F. Eskildsen; Ulrik Dalgas; Martin Langeskov-Christensen