Exploring the Effects of Exercise on Memory and Cognition in Parkinson´s Disease
The study aims to assess the effects of cardiovascular (aerobic) training on memory formation and cognitive function in people with Parkinson's disease. Participants will be randomly allocated to one of two groups either performing cardiovascular training (experimental group) or stretching (control group) for twelve weeks, three times a week. The primary aim is to examine whether moderate-intense cardiovascular training (MICT) improves procedural memory formation (primary outcome) compared to stretching. Secondary outcomes include episodic memory formation, cognitive function, cardiorespiratory fitness, sleep quality, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) blood concentration levels.
• Diagnosed Parkinson's disease
• Disease stage ≤3 on the Hoehn \& Yahr scale
• Age ranging from 50 - 80 years
• Naive to the memory tasks (primary outcomes)
• Ability to stand and walk at least 10 meters independently