Serum homocysteine and physical exercise in patients with Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Background: Hyperhomocysteinemia is a major risk factor for cerebral and peripheral vascular diseases, as well as cortical and hippocampal injury, including an increased risk of dementia and cognitive impairment. Elevated serum homocysteine (Hcy) concentrations are common in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) who have been treated with levodopa; however, physical exercises can help reduce Hcy concentrations. The aim of the present study was to compare serum Hcy levels in patients with PD who partook in regular physical exercises, sedentary PD patients, and healthy controls. Methods: Sixty individuals were enrolled in the present study across three groups: (i) 17 patients who did not partake of any type of exercise; (ii) 24 PD patients who exercised regularly; and (iii) 19 healthy individuals who did not exercise regularly. All participants were evaluated by Hoehn and Yahr scale, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and Schwab and England scale (measure daily functionality). The serum levels of Hcy were analyzed by blood samples collected of each participant. An analysis of variance and a Tukey's post hoc test were applied to compare and to verify differences between groups. Pearson's correlation and stepwise multiple regression analyses were used to consider the association between several variables. Results: Mean plasma Hcy concentrations in individuals who exercised regularly were similar to those in the healthy controls and significantly lower than those in the group that did not exercise at all (P = 0.000). In addition, patients who did not exercise were receiving significantly higher doses of levodopa than those patients who exercised regularly (P = 0.001). A positive relationship between levodopa dose and Hcy concentrations (R 2 = 0.27; P = 0.03) was observed in patients who did not exercise, but not in those patients who exercised regularly (R 2 = 0.023; P = 0.15). Conclusions:The results of the present study suggest that, even with regular levodopa therapy, Hcy concentrations in PD patients who exercise regularly are significantly lower than in patients who do not exercise and are similar Hcy concentrations in healthy controls.

Association of diabetic peripheral arterial disease and objectively-measured physical activity: NHANES 2003-2004

“…Most patients with diabetes demonstrate abnormalities in endothelial function and vascular regulation, which increases the local inflammatory state of the vascular wall [1]. Previous studies have demonstrated a favorable association between physical activity and endothelial function [30], with this association likely occurring through physical activity-induced changes in methionine catabolism, vitamin B availability, inhibition of platelet aggregation and coagulation, and improvements in blood rheology [31-33]. …”

Auditing the Physical Activity and Parkinson Disease Literature Using the Behavioral Epidemiologic Framework

“…Physical activity also was found to have a positive influence on strengthening [34,34,111,120‐122] and hand function [42,67‐69]. Several studies also focused on physical activity and safety [73,120,123,124], disease‐modifying capabilities [92,125‐127], and physiologic influences and improvement [128‐138]. There also were multiple reviews that discussed the vast array of activity benefits for individuals with PD [11,33,139‐149].…”

Association between the risk and severity of Parkinson’s disease and plasma homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folate levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Conversely, some studies have suggested that the intake of tea or coffee and smoking may potentially decrease the risk of PD. ( Ishihara and Brayne, 2005 ; Li et al, 2015 ; Ascherio and Schwarzschild, 2016 ) Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that exercise is related to a reduction in Hcy levels in PD patients ( Nascimento et al, 2011 ; Yang et al, 2015 ).…”