Volume 29, Issue 155, January 2025

The impact of physical exercise on the development of neurodegenerative diseases

Dawid Wiktor Kulczyński^1♦, Natalia Dąbrowska¹, Paweł Nowocin¹, Zuzanna Kudas¹, Paulina Kumięga¹, Aleksandra Litwin¹, Piotr Wasiński¹, Karolina Krzywicka², Nikola Perchel¹, Martyna Koszyk³

¹Medical University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 61, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
²PKSO Ophthalmic University Hospital in Warsaw, Józefa Sierakowskiego 13, 03-709 Warszawa, Poland
³Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, Kazimierza Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland

^♦Corresponding Author
Medical University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 61, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland

ABSTRACT

Behaviors like physical activity may impact neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALS, which remain significant global challenges with limited therapies. Evidence suggests that exercise exerts protective effects by enhancing neurogenesis, reducing oxidative stress, and modulating inflammatory pathways. Studies indicate that physical activity improves cognitive function, delays disease onset, and lowers the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, potentially through increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), other neurotrophic factors, and myokine-mediated effects. Additionally, exercise improves biomarkers and mitochondrial function and reduces neuroinflammation. This paper systematically reviews the literature to classify the effects of aerobic and resistance exercise in preclinical and clinical populations. Findings reveal that more intense, prolonged exercise yields more substantial neuroprotective effects, marked by reduced inflammatory mediators and enhanced hippocampal neurogenesis. Exercise holds therapeutic potential, particularly for at-risk populations, and can be integrated into public health policies and clinical management strategies. As a noninvasive, cost-effective intervention, exercise is a promising approach for managing neurodegenerative diseases. The article concludes with recommendations for translating exercise programs into clinical practice and emphasizes the need for further studies to optimize protocols and explore the synergistic effects of exercise and pharmacotherapy.

Keywords: Risk factors, infertility in men, sport

Medical Science, 2025, 29, e10ms3489

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v29i155.e10ms3489

Published: 12 January 2025