Effects of a Highly Challenging Balance Training Program on Motor Function and Brain Structure in Parkinson's Disease
(2021) In Journal of Parkinson's Disease 11(4). p.2057-2071- Abstract
Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by motor deficits and brain alterations having a detrimental impact on balance, gait, and cognition. Intensive physical exercise can induce changes in the neural system, potentially counteracting neurodegeneration in PD and improving clinical symptoms. Objective: This randomized controlled trial investigated effects of a highly challenging, cognitively demanding, balance and gait training (HiBalance) program in participants with PD on brain structure. Methods: 95 participants were assigned to either the HiBalance or an active control speech training program. The group-based interventions were performed in 1-hour sessions, twice per week over a 10-week period. Participants underwent... (More)
Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by motor deficits and brain alterations having a detrimental impact on balance, gait, and cognition. Intensive physical exercise can induce changes in the neural system, potentially counteracting neurodegeneration in PD and improving clinical symptoms. Objective: This randomized controlled trial investigated effects of a highly challenging, cognitively demanding, balance and gait training (HiBalance) program in participants with PD on brain structure. Methods: 95 participants were assigned to either the HiBalance or an active control speech training program. The group-based interventions were performed in 1-hour sessions, twice per week over a 10-week period. Participants underwent balance, gait, cognitive function, and structural magnetic resonance imaging assessments before and after the interventions. Voxel-based morphometry was analyzed in 34 HiBalance and 31 active controls. Additionally, structural covariance networks were assessed. Results: There was no significant time by group interaction between the HiBalance and control training in balance, gait, or brain volume. Within-HiBalance-group analyses showed higher left putamen volumes post-training. In repeated measures correlation a positive linear, non-significant relationship between gait speed and putamen volume was revealed. In the HiBalance group we found community structure changes and stronger thalamic-cerebellar connectivity in structural covariance networks. Neither brain volume changes nor topology changes were found for the active controls after the training. Conclusion: Thus, subtle structural brain changes occur after balance and gait training. Future studies need to determine whether training modifications or other assessment methods lead to stronger effects.
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- author
- Albrecht, Franziska ; Pereira, Joana B. LU ; Mijalkov, Mite ; Freidle, Malin ; Johansson, Hanna ; Ekman, Urban ; Westman, Eric and Franzén, Erika
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- gait, gray matter, idiopathic Parkinson's disease, magnetic resonance imaging, physical exercise, putamen, Randomized controlled trial
- in
- Journal of Parkinson's Disease
- volume
- 11
- issue
- 4
- pages
- 15 pages
- publisher
- IOS Press
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:34511513
- scopus:85117385192
- ISSN
- 1877-7171
- DOI
- 10.3233/jpd-212801
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2021 - IOS Press. All rights reserved.
- id
- 6a75fe0b-a603-4f03-8f33-bc0034ec2586
- date added to LUP
- 2022-01-12 15:40:36
- date last changed
- 2024-06-15 23:54:56
@article{6a75fe0b-a603-4f03-8f33-bc0034ec2586,
abstract = {{<p>Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by motor deficits and brain alterations having a detrimental impact on balance, gait, and cognition. Intensive physical exercise can induce changes in the neural system, potentially counteracting neurodegeneration in PD and improving clinical symptoms. Objective: This randomized controlled trial investigated effects of a highly challenging, cognitively demanding, balance and gait training (HiBalance) program in participants with PD on brain structure. Methods: 95 participants were assigned to either the HiBalance or an active control speech training program. The group-based interventions were performed in 1-hour sessions, twice per week over a 10-week period. Participants underwent balance, gait, cognitive function, and structural magnetic resonance imaging assessments before and after the interventions. Voxel-based morphometry was analyzed in 34 HiBalance and 31 active controls. Additionally, structural covariance networks were assessed. Results: There was no significant time by group interaction between the HiBalance and control training in balance, gait, or brain volume. Within-HiBalance-group analyses showed higher left putamen volumes post-training. In repeated measures correlation a positive linear, non-significant relationship between gait speed and putamen volume was revealed. In the HiBalance group we found community structure changes and stronger thalamic-cerebellar connectivity in structural covariance networks. Neither brain volume changes nor topology changes were found for the active controls after the training. Conclusion: Thus, subtle structural brain changes occur after balance and gait training. Future studies need to determine whether training modifications or other assessment methods lead to stronger effects. </p>}},
author = {{Albrecht, Franziska and Pereira, Joana B. and Mijalkov, Mite and Freidle, Malin and Johansson, Hanna and Ekman, Urban and Westman, Eric and Franzén, Erika}},
issn = {{1877-7171}},
keywords = {{gait; gray matter; idiopathic Parkinson's disease; magnetic resonance imaging; physical exercise; putamen; Randomized controlled trial}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{4}},
pages = {{2057--2071}},
publisher = {{IOS Press}},
series = {{Journal of Parkinson's Disease}},
title = {{Effects of a Highly Challenging Balance Training Program on Motor Function and Brain Structure in Parkinson's Disease}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/jpd-212801}},
doi = {{10.3233/jpd-212801}},
volume = {{11}},
year = {{2021}},
}