Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that runs throughout the body, starting in the brain and coursing through the nervous system. It controls how and when you move and enables you to feel emotions such as joy and sorrow. When it is depleted, you can develop Parkinson's disease (PD) or other movement disorders. While the loss of dopamine can potentially hinder a person's ability to exercise, exercise can actually act as a neuroprotective way to slow the progression of PD.
Significance
In 2007, "Science Daily" published an article outlining the findings of Giselle Petzinger, M.D., assistant professor of neurology at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. The study demonstrated the advantageous effects of exercise for people with PD. Petzinger said the positive effect may occur because exercise is a more adept way of using the neurotransmitter.
Effects
Petzinger's study was performed on animal subjects using treadmills and examined the difference between animals with and without the loss of cells that were comparable to a person suffering from PD. The scientists analyzed the alterations in the amount of dopamine being produced and found that the animals that had exercised had retained their dopamine cells.
Expert Insight
The exercise component to dopamine suggests that exercise must be rather intense. The studies done on the animals were demanding and rigorous. However, David Heydrick, M.D., a neurologist with PD, asserts that with medication, a good diet and regular exercise, patients can manage the symptoms and possibly the progression of Parkinson's. Heydrick runs every day, and is a disciplined tai chi practitioner and weight lifter.
Considerations
Exercise and dopamine do not benefit or effect only those living with PD. As a chemical in the brain, dopamine has many other functions in normal, healthy individuals. Dopamine levels control how well we sleep, think, withstand stress and emotional shifts. Sedentary lifestyles can affect dopamine levels. This lack of exercise may be the cause of a host of ailments including attention deficit disorder, compulsive behavior and depression.
Prevention/Solution
Lack of exercise is one of the biggest contributors to the reduction of not only dopamine, but also serotonin and norepinephrine. Since dopamine rules over our movements, it makes sense that the lack of regular movement in the form of exercise would create some form of dysfunction in our brains. No matter how busy your life is, adding exercise to your daily schedule will help keep your levels of dopamine steady and normal.
