title: Enhancing neuroplasticity in the basal ganglia: the role of exercise in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Epidemiological and clinical trials have suggested that exercise is beneficial for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the underlying mechanisms and potential for disease modification are currently unknown. This review presents current findings from our laboratories in patients with PD and animal models. The data indicate that alterations in both dopaminergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission, induced by activity-dependent (exercise) processes, may mitigate the cortically driven hyper-excitability in the basal ganglia normally observed in the parkinsonian state. These insights have potential to identify novel therapeutic treatments capable of reversing or delaying disease progression in PD.
authors.affiliation: The George and MaryLou Boone Center for Parkinson's Disease Research, Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA. gpetzinger@surgery.usc.edu
authors.forename: Giselle M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Petzinger
authors.forename: Beth E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Jon-Eric
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Van Leeuwen
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vukovic
authors.forename: Garnik
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Akopian
authors.forename: Charlie K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Meshul
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Holschneider
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nacca
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Jakowec
mesh_terms: D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D004298:Dopamine