Dose-response Effects of Physical Exercise Standardized Volume on Peripheral Biomarkers, Clinical Response and Brain Connectivity in Parkinson's Disease: a Prospective, Observational, Cohort Pilot Study
This is a prospective, observational, cohort pilot study of standardize volume of aerobic exercise on changes in BDNF concentration at 4-weeks of exercise training among Parkinson disease patients. Thirty (N=30) participants will be consecutively enrolled and assigned to 2 groups: 1) Extensive Rehabilitation Group (exercise volume: 180 METs-min/week) or 2) Intensive Rehabilitation Group (exercise volume: 1350 METs-min/week). The primary objective is to evaluate the dose-response effects of two different rehabilitation settings, characterized by different workload (measured as energy expenditure), on blood BDNF levels.
• Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease according to the United Kingdom (UK) Parkinson's Disease Society Brain Bank
• Aged between 30 and 80 years
• Disease stage II-III in ON phase according to modified Hoehn and Yahr (H\&Y)
• Having no severe cognitive impairment:
‣ Mini-Mental State Examination-MMSE ≥24
⁃ Montreal Cognitive Assessment - MoCA ≥ 17/30
• Under stable dopaminergic pharmacological treatment
• Motor condition that permits to execute 6-Minutes Walking Test (6MWT)
• Willing to participate in the study, understand the procedures and sign the informed consent.