Effect of Aerobic Training on Inflammatory Markers in Parkinson ’s Disease: A Systematic Review

  • Somayeh Bakhtiari Dehbalaei Department of Exercise Physiology, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran.
  • Nasrin Poroun Department of Exercise Physiology, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran.
  • Mehran Ghahramani Department of Exercise Physiology, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran.
  • Abdolhamid Zokaei Imam Ali Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
  • Mohammad Ghahramani Department of Physical Education, Technical and Vocational University (TVU), Tehran, Iran.
Keywords: Parkinson’s Disease, Inflammation, Aerobic Exercise, Inflammatory Cytokine.

Abstract

Introduction: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorders characterized by pathological changes in an area of the brain known as the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), which contains a high density of dopaminergic neurons. A key factor that probably contributes to the development of Parkinson’s disease is the accumulation of alpha-synuclein, followed by the activation of microglia and astrocytes, leading to chronic neuroinflammation. The aim of the recent review study was to investigate the effects of aerobic exercise on modulating inflammation in Parkinson’s disease.

Methods: This systematic review analyzed research on the effects of various exercise routines on inflammatory markers in both human and animal models of Parkinson’s disease. Scientific articles were accessed using databases such as Pubmed, Springer, Hindawi, Scopus, Google Scholar, SID, and Mag Iran, with keywords, including Parkinson’s disease, aerobic exercise, neuroinflammation, and inflammatory cytokines. Out of 962 studies analyzed in the last 15 years, 15 studies met the inclusion criteria.

Results: The results indicated that aerobic exercise, encompassing both continuous and interval workouts effectively lowered inflammatory markers in Parkinson’s disease, particularly in animal models. Nonetheless, there have been few studies comparing different forms of aerobic exercise, like continuous and interval training, highlighting a need for further research in this field.

Conclusion: Aerobic exercise might be a beneficial method to manage inflammation in Parkinson’s disease and can serve as a non-pharmacological approach to enhance the issues associated with this condition.

Published
2025-08-07
Section
Articles