Parkinson’s disease: The simple activity that could slow down the brain condition

Billy Connolly says he can't use his left hand due to Parkinson's

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There are treatments and medicines that can be taken to slow the onset of the condition.

Exercising for just four hours a week could slow progression of the disease, says a new study.

Published in the journal Neurology, the study followed 237 for six years to identify if there was a link between exercise and the progression of the condition.

They found that those who exercised consistently post-diagnosis had better outcomes than those who didn’t.

The study concluded: “In the long-term, the maintenance of high regular physical activity levels and exercise habits was robustly associated with better clinical course of PD.”

The research noted: “[E]ach type of physical activity having different effects.”

Emphasis was placed not on the individual’s activeness before, but after, they developed Parkinson’s.

This is positive news and shows how far we have come in our understanding of the disease since it was first discovered, as we have known about it for just over two-hundred years.

Parkinson’s disease is named after James Parkinson.

In 1817, he wrote An Essay on the Shaking Palsy

Born, raised and dying in Shoreditch in East London, Parkinson was the first medical professional to write about the condition.

60 years later, the condition would become known as Parkinson’s disease by Jean-Martin Charcot, a French neurologist.

The NHS lists the three main symptoms of the condition as:
• Involuntary shaking of particular parts of the body
• Slow movement
• Stiff and inflexible muscles

Whilst these are the three main symptoms of Parkinson’s, these are not the only symptoms.

A person with Parkinson’s may also experience depression and anxiety.

They may also experience balance problems, loss of sense of smell, problems sleeping and memory problems.

You should consult a GP if you are concerned that you have these symptoms.

From there they will ask you questions about the symptoms you are experiencing and eventually you will receive a diagnosis.

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