12-Week Aerobic Interval Training Boosts Neuroplasticity and Motor Function in Parkinson's Disease: Insights From BDNF, [ 18 F]Fluorodopa PET/CT, and EEG.

This article investigates the effects of a 12-week moderate-intensity aerobic interval training (AIT) program on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, striatal dopaminergic function measured by [¹⁸F]fluorodopa positron emission tomography/computed tomography ([¹⁸F]DOPA PET/CT), electroencephalography (EEG) activity, and motor function in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Thirty PD patients were randomized into a training group (PD-TR) and a non-training control group (PD-NTR), with the PD-TR group showing significant increases in serum BDNF and improvements in motor scores, while no significant changes were observed in striatal [¹⁸F]DOPA PET/CT uptake. Correlation analyses suggested that in the PD-TR group, increased BDNF was associated with motor improvements and altered cortical EEG activity, indicating exercise-induced neuroplasticity supporting motor recovery. The study highlights AIT as a potential non-pharmacological intervention to enhance neuroplastic mechanisms and motor function in PD, though it notes limitations including small sample size and the sensitivity of the imaging modality used.