title: Benefits of Exercise on the Executive Functions in People with Parkinson Disease: A Controlled Clinical Trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We have made a 3-arm trial (group vs. individual exercise vs. no treatment) to test the effects of a 6-month exercise program upon the executive functions in participants with Parkinson disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four subjects were randomly allocated in 3 groups and undertook individualized exercises (G1, n = 8), group exercises (G2, n = 8), or monitoring (G3, n = 8). Executive functions were evaluated by means of the Wisconsin card sorting test and the Raven colored matrices, both assessed at the beginning of the program and after 6 months. The statistical analyses consisted of the application of repeated measurement tests, with a significant level of 5%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings showed similar behavior of groups in terms of the Wisconsin card sorting test (P = 0.792), reporting no benefit of the program on such instrument. Differently, Raven colored matrices evidenced a significant benefit provided by the intervention (P = 0.032). Compared with the control group, individuals from G1 had a substantial improvement on executive functions (P = 0.031) and from G2 had a trend of significance (P = 0.072).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings of this study show that 6 months of exercise improved some aspects of executive functions when compared with control peers. Individual therapy seems to have a more prominent improvement than group therapy.
authors: From the Graduate Program in Health and Development, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, UFMS, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul (RTO, LAF, GC); Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Rio Claro (LTBG, FAB); and Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil (FAB).
authors: Renata Terra
authors: RT
authors: de Oliveira
authors: Lilian Assunção
authors: LA
authors: Felippe
authors: Lilian Teresa
authors: LT
authors: Bucken Gobbi
authors: Fabio Augusto
authors: FA
authors: Barbieri
authors: Gustavo
authors: G
authors: Christofoletti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D056344:Executive Function; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000534:rehabilitation*