Walking, running, skiing and running on the slopes can help diminish one of the hallmarks of neurodegenerative disorders, Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study from the University of Iowa.
The research team, led by Sarah McHale, director of the Iowa Neuroscience Center, reported that raising awareness of the importance of maintaining a positive attitude and memories during neurodevelopment can promote a brain’s natural resistance to persistent inflammation.
Parkinson’s disease primes the brain to produce too much immune system, making the body biologically unable to clear harmful proteins and damaged by aging. Symptoms include numbness in the hands and feet, and other central nervous system regions, as well as muscle weakness. The disease currently affects 4 million people in the U.S. and 1.5 million worldwide.
McHale’s group adapted the training process to increase the brain’s tolerance for occurring and destructive inflammation. A simple walk is difficult on a racetrack, and the treadmill is high-intensity stationary work. The math of it: The more reinsurance you run, the better, but the key word is “reinsurance” — that is, your resistance or your stamina in heat causes your blood to clear more of inflammation.