Cognitive decline and Parkinson’s disease, Part 2

Losing the ability to think quickly and remember everyday things is a frightening possibility for people with Parkinson’s disease. 

Thankfully, for most people newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s, dementia is not behind the bunker just waiting to strike. But for others, cognitive decline is a very real symptom.

In Part 1, I describe my rendezvous with a neuropsychologist and the battery of tests that left me with a worn-out brain, but also with a nice baseline score to compare to other scores in the future.

I am not immune to memory lapses (“What did I come into this room for?” “I can’t think of the word”). At some point, everyone’s brain starts shrinking – in most adults even before a midlife crisis or an empty nest happens. It causes forgetfulness and slowdowns in executive functioning, otherwise known as cognitive decline.

But serious dementia? We’d all like to avoid that.

Can this evil fate be prevented?

There are a few things that have been shown to help keep your brain power intact longer.

While players like me may get better at their puzzles over time, studies are inconclusive as to whether brain games delay dementia.

So what works? Some research points to more complex “brain training” like learning another language or how to play piano as being more helpful. 

Same with moving. Walking is great, but dancing involves complex movement, and might help with “cognitive reserve.” These more-complicated actions can’t hurt, so why not try them?

But the best thing you can do about cognitive symptoms of Parkinson’s is not found in a sudoku book or inside a pill bottle. You guessed it:

Exercise.

Make exercise work for you

More than ever, doctors are prescribing exercise the same way they would prescribe a medication. Why? Because studies are increasingly showing the value of being more physically fit, especially when dealing with Parkinson’s disease. Not only does the body benefit from regular movement, but so does the mind.

And getting outdoors and into nature for exercise is even better. That’s good for the soul.

You may have heard that exercise could even slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

There’s a lot of ink out there interpreting the results of research by Northwestern University professor Daniel Corcos. His SPARX2 study discovered there are neuro-protective benefits of intense regular workouts that include slowing the disease’s progress. Corcos’ work 10 years ago changed the landscape for both research and treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

Exercise is therapy for Parkinson’s disease, and that means we should take it seriously. I am as intense about fitting in my daily workout as I am about taking my meds on time. They are both vital to my well-being, and to my future cognitive health.

I’m convinced no one will look back near the end of their life and say, “I wish I hadn’t exercised so much.”

And that’s something important not to forget!

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If you missed it, Part 1 looks at my experiences so far in dealing with my cognitive future.

Part 1: The cognitive symptoms of Parkinson’s disease 

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Notes:

• Want to participate in Dr. Corcos’ expansion of the SPARX2 study? Click here to learn about SPARX3.

• A source I used for this post is Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity by Peter Attia, M.D.

• Top two photo credits: Tima Miroshnichenko, Joseph Sintum