A Single Session of Whole-Body Electromyostimulation Increases Muscle Strength, Endurance and proNGF in Early Parkinson Patients.

Giovanni Fiorilli,Andrea Buonsenso,Marzia Soligo,Alessandra Di Cagno,Giusy Casazza,Attilio Parisi,Federico Quinzi,Giuseppe Calcagno,Alfonso Di Costanzo,Luigi Manni

doi:10.3390/ijerph18105499

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients lead a sedentary lifestyle, being unable or unwilling to exercise conventionally, due to physical and mental limitations. The aim of this study was to assess the acute effects of a single session of whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) on the physical performances and serum levels of the neurotrophic factors in PD patients. Ten subjects (aged 72.60 ± 6.82) underwent 20 min of physical activity with superimposed WB-EMS and, after four weeks, the same protocol with no WB-EMS. WB-EMS was conducted with intermittent stimulation, with 4 s WB-EMS/4 s rest, at 85 Hz, 350 μs. A physical fitness assessment and blood samples collection, to evaluate neurotrophic factors’ levels (BDNF, FGF21, proNGF, mNGF), were collected before and after the intervention. The RM-ANOVA showed significant improvements in sit-to-stand (p < 0.01), arm curl (p < 0.01), handgrip (p < 0.01) and soda pop test (p < 0.01) after the WB-EMS intervention. Higher proNFG serum levels were observed in the WB-EMS condition compared to the no WB-EMS after 60 min post-intervention (p = 0.0163). The effect of WB-EMS confirmed the electrostimulation ability to modulate the proNGF quantity. The positive impact of the WB-EMS protocol on physical functioning, and eye–hand coordination, makes this intervention a promising strategy to improve motor and non-motor symptoms in PD patients.

Highlights

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the fastest growing disability, which leads to hospitalization and death [1]
PD is a neurodegenerative chronic disease characterized by motor and non-motor impairments [2]
Lifestyle factors influence the development of PD [7], for example, nursing home placement leads to cognitive impairment and non-dopaminergic motor deficit [8]

Summary

Introduction

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the fastest growing disability, which leads to hospitalization and death [1]. PD is a neurodegenerative chronic disease characterized by motor and non-motor impairments [2]. Non-motor symptoms, such as pain, cognitive impairment and dementia, apathy, and general fatigue [4,5], affect most of the patients. Lifestyle factors influence the development of PD [7], for example, nursing home placement leads to cognitive impairment and non-dopaminergic motor deficit [8]. Physical activity (PA) could prevent the loss of dopaminergic neurons and improve synaptic connections, upregulating neurotrophic factor levels and counteracting dyskinesia [9,10]

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Conclusion