People with Parkinson’s disease who stay more physically active may experience slower declines in memory, thinking, and movement abilities, according to a study that followed participants for up to seven years. Researchers found that greater activity was consistently associated with more favorable outcomes, although the findings do not establish that exercise directly slows disease progression.

The study, published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, examined how different amounts and intensities of physical activity related to changes in Parkinson’s symptoms.

“Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes movement and cognitive problems that gradually worsen, leading to disability and a loss of independence,” said study author Dong-Woo Ryu, MD, PhD, of the University of Cincinnati in Ohio. “Previous research has shown associations between physical activity and movement symptoms. Our study found physical activity may have dual benefits, with associations with slower declines in movement and cognition.”

How Researchers Measured Physical Activity

The study included 294 adults with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease, whose average age was 66. Participants reported how much time they spent being physically active each week, including activities at work, around the house, and during recreation. Moderate activities included brisk walking, light swimming, doubles tennis, vacuuming, and mowing the lawn. Vigorous activities included jogging, fast cycling, competitive sports, shoveling, and carrying heavy loads.

Researchers evaluated activity in three ways: total weekly time spent exercising at moderate or vigorous intensity, overall activity volume adjusted for intensity, and time spent performing vigorous activities. For total activity time, participants were classified into three groups: those active for up to four hours weekly, those active for four to eight hours, and those exceeding eight hours. Annual assessments tracked changes in cognitive performance and movement symptoms.

Greater Activity Linked to Slower Cognitive Decline

Differences between the activity groups emerged in tests of thinking and memory. On a 30-point cognitive assessment, where lower scores indicate poorer performance, the least active participants experienced an estimated average decline of 0.478 points per year. The middle group declined by 0.090 points annually, while the most active group showed almost no average decline, at just 0.007 points per year.

Movement assessments also showed different patterns. Researchers used a 132-point scale, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms. Participants began with an average score of 23. Over time, the least active group showed an estimated annual increase of 0.143 points, suggesting modest worsening. In contrast, scores decreased by 0.225 points annually in the moderately active group and by 0.783 points in the most active group, indicating more favorable movement outcomes.

The associations remained after researchers accounted for participants’ age, sex, and duration of Parkinson’s disease. Higher values across all three measures of physical activity were associated with slower cognitive decline and less worsening of movement symptoms, suggesting that both activity duration and intensity may be relevant.

Why the Findings Require Caution

“The possible benefits of physical activity for people with Parkinson’s disease may depend on how long they stay active and whether they continue exercising over time,” said Ryu. “While our study found small differences between activity levels, these differences may become more meaningful over time. Since participants generally had good thinking and memory skills at the start of the study, our results should be interpreted with caution and further studies are needed.”

One limitation was that participants reported their own physical activity, potentially introducing inaccuracies in estimates of exercise duration and intensity. Because the study was observational, researchers also could not determine whether greater activity helped preserve neurological function or whether people with less severe symptoms were better able to remain active. Further research is needed to establish whether increasing physical activity can directly influence the progression of Parkinson’s disease.