On Dec. 30 Lab Rat posted a thread titled "Interval Training relieves PD symptoms". If I'm reading the article correctly, the researchers found that: "CONCLUSION: Training-induced alleviation of parkinsonian rigidity and muscle tone decrease may be associated with neuroplastic changes caused by a training-induced increase in the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor." Is it possible that high intensity cycling can increase GDNF enough to be significant for PwPs? What would that actually mean for our symptoms?

i think one can look at this from many different perspectives, from general health benefit, from common sense, from someone with pd hoping certain exercise may make you feel better and/or slow progression and from what happens in animals - in animals exercise has been neuroproective and has reversed MAN MADE PD - i don't think animals get pd.

fetal cell transplants done in the 1980's, 1990's, early 2000's had some disease reversing successes so we know from symptom relief measurement and autopsy that new cells have been the only "cure" so far.

there are current trials testing the hypothesis that direct placement of gdnf in the brain via catheters or gdnf producing genes can reverse pd, that's gotta be answered before one can really speculate on the longer term affect of exercise on gdnf, bdnf, etc. on brain neurons. keep in mind that the brain regulates the levels of BDNF, GDNF, i imagine they can only stay high for a short time and then a feedback mechanism shuts down the production until it levels off. think about the millions of young atheletes who work like mad trying to get an athletic scholarship, their exercising can't be causing endless neurogenesis - if it exists - or unlimited BDNF, GDNF, etc, production. so i have to assume exercise just gets us at the best temporarily up to no more than normal levels.

even if exercise has no long term neurogenisis/neuroprotective benefit, even if it were 100% placebo affect i'd exercise and try to stay in the best shape i could for all the other benefits plus i need to be in the best mental/physical i can to qualify to have brain surgery for DBS or the cure and to just deal with advancing pd.