Laboratory of Aging and Physical Activity (LAFE), Biosciences Institute, Department of Physical Education, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro Campus, Brazil.
Psychogeriatrics. 2011 Jun;11(2):105-12. doi: 10.1111/j.1479-8301.2011.00356.x.
Hyperhomocysteinemia is a major risk factor for cerebral and peripheral vascular diseases, as well as cortical and hippocampal injury, including an increased risk of dementia and cognitive impairment. Elevated serum homocysteine (Hcy) concentrations are common in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) who have been treated with levodopa; however, physical exercises can help reduce Hcy concentrations. The aim of the present study was to compare serum Hcy levels in patients with PD who partook in regular physical exercises, sedentary PD patients, and healthy controls.
Sixty individuals were enrolled in the present study across three groups: (i) 17 patients who did not partake of any type of exercise; (ii) 24 PD patients who exercised regularly; and (iii) 19 healthy individuals who did not exercise regularly. All participants were evaluated by Hoehn and Yahr scale, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and Schwab and England scale (measure daily functionality). The serum levels of Hcy were analyzed by blood samples collected of each participant. An analysis of variance and a Tukey's post hoc test were applied to compare and to verify differences between groups. Pearson's correlation and stepwise multiple regression analyses were used to consider the association between several variables.
Mean plasma Hcy concentrations in individuals who exercised regularly were similar to those in the healthy controls and significantly lower than those in the group that did not exercise at all (P= 0.000). In addition, patients who did not exercise were receiving significantly higher doses of levodopa than those patients who exercised regularly (P= 0.001). A positive relationship between levodopa dose and Hcy concentrations (R(2) = 0.27; P= 0.03) was observed in patients who did not exercise, but not in those patients who exercised regularly (R(2) = 0.023; P= 0.15).
The results of the present study suggest that, even with regular levodopa therapy, Hcy concentrations in PD patients who exercise regularly are significantly lower than in patients who do not exercise and are similar Hcy concentrations in healthy controls.
高同型半胱氨酸血症是导致脑和外周血管疾病以及皮质和海马损伤的主要危险因素，包括痴呆和认知障碍的风险增加。接受左旋多巴治疗的帕金森病（PD）患者的血清同型半胱氨酸（Hcy）浓度升高很常见；然而，体育锻炼有助于降低 Hcy 浓度。本研究旨在比较定期进行体育锻炼的 PD 患者、不进行任何运动的 PD 患者和健康对照者的血清 Hcy 水平。
本研究共纳入 60 名参与者，分为三组：（i）17 名不进行任何运动的患者；（ii）24 名定期运动的 PD 患者；和（iii）19 名不经常运动的健康个体。所有参与者均通过 Hoehn 和 Yahr 量表、统一帕金森病评定量表（UPDRS）和 Schwab 和 England 量表（测量日常功能）进行评估。通过采集每位参与者的血样分析血清 Hcy 水平。应用方差分析和 Tukey 事后检验比较并验证组间差异。应用 Pearson 相关和逐步多元回归分析考虑几个变量之间的关联。
定期运动者的平均血浆 Hcy 浓度与健康对照组相似，且明显低于完全不运动者（P=0.000）。此外，不运动的患者接受的左旋多巴剂量明显高于定期运动的患者（P=0.001）。在不运动的患者中观察到左旋多巴剂量与 Hcy 浓度之间存在正相关（R2=0.27；P=0.03），但在定期运动的患者中则没有（R2=0.023；P=0.15）。
本研究结果表明，即使接受规律的左旋多巴治疗，定期运动的 PD 患者的 Hcy 浓度明显低于不运动的患者，且与健康对照组的 Hcy 浓度相似。
