With more and more people receiving DBS, there is more of a need and more opportunity for research. There was a recent small study that examined the effects of exercise on nonmotor symptoms in people with DBS. DBS is focused on helping the motor symptoms, so studies like this one are super important. Let's find out what they found.
What are nonmotor symptoms?
Nonmotor symptoms are the symptoms that you cannot physically see. These include depression, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, apathy, cognitive changes, and more.
Motor symptoms are the physical symptoms that are more commonly associated with PD, although nonmotor symptoms are just as present. These include tremor, balance changes, freezing, and rigidity.
The study
9 people with PD who received DBS were included in this study. It is important to note that 9 people is a small sample size, so these results cannot be broadly accepted. The participants exercised for at least 30 minutes, 3 times a week, for 12 weeks. The type of exercise was not standardized in this study, meaning the participants could choose any form of exercise. This may also impact the validity of the study. Finally, only about half of the participants exercised for the instructed amount, which can significantly impact the validity of the results.
The patients that were compliant with exercise reported improvements in depression, impulse control, psychosis, and pain. Participants also showed improvements in cognition, sleep, gastrointestinal and urinary function.
My Opinion
This study shows a lot of promise! However, the small sample size and the lack of compliance is a large hinderance. What is exciting about this study is the dosage of exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that every American should meet the following standards for exercise each week:
150-300 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise
OR
75-150 min of vigorous aerobic exercise
AND
300 minutes of moderate physical activity
PLUS
At least 2 days of resistance training
The exercise from this study does not meet those guidelines. That shows incredible promise for people who are unable to exercise for that long. But it also shows even more promise for people who can exercise for longer. I believe that the researchers are really on to something here and that more studies with a higher participant rate should be performed.
If you are trying struggling with nonmotor symptoms, whether you have DBS or not, let's all strive to meet these requirements. If you have questions, reach out to your local physical therapist.
Sources:
Comentarios