Study in Parkinson Disease of Exercise

To be able to join this study, you would generally need to have received a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease within the last three years and be between 40 and 80 years old. It's really important that you haven't started taking any medications specifically for Parkinson's disease, and you shouldn't expect to need them within the first six months of the study.

There are also some health conditions that would prevent you from taking part, such as certain heart, kidney, or metabolic problems, or if your blood pressure isn't well controlled. The research team will also check for specific brain scan results that confirm your Parkinson's diagnosis.

Essentially, the study is looking for people with a clear diagnosis of early Parkinson's who are otherwise healthy enough to safely participate in a regular exercise programme.

If you decide to take part in this study, you would be involved for a total of 24 months, with the main exercise part lasting for 18 months. You would first be randomly assigned to one of two exercise groups, like flipping a coin – you won't get to choose which group you're in. Both groups will do treadmill walking four times a week. One group will exercise at a moderate intensity, and the other at a higher intensity.

Throughout the study, you'll have several visits to the research clinic. These visits will involve various assessments to check your Parkinson's symptoms, walking ability (like a six-minute walk test), daily activity levels (using a device to count your steps), memory and thinking skills, and your overall quality of life. Blood tests will also be taken to look for certain markers related to inflammation and brain health. You won't be taking any Parkinson's medication during the main part of the study (18 months).

After 18 months, the regular exercise support from the study will stop, but we will continue to follow up with you at 24 months to see if the benefits of the exercise have lasted.