Physical Activity in Early Parkinson Disease

Physical activity and exercise improve outcomes in Parkinson disease (PD), however little is known about activity levels in early PD patients.

We examined self-reported activity scores and examined associations with clinical characteristics in 383 PD subjects and 175 healthy controls from the Parkinson Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI).

Activity scores were 8% lower for PD subjects than HC (162.6±86.2 vs 175.0±78.5, p = 0.10). Higher scores were associated with younger age and male sex. Only 47% of PD subjects and 44% of HC reported activity consistent with standard recommendations for adults.

Our findings highlight the need to encourage exercise even in early PD.