Objective: This study aimed to explore how non-motor symptoms (NMS) affect physical activity engagement in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD), with the goal of informing approaches to improve well-being and minimize non-motor symptom impact.

Background: PD is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by motor symptoms like tremor and rigidity, as well as NMS such as cognitive decline, depression, and sleep disturbances. These NMS can significantly impact daily functioning and contribute to reduced physical activity, further worsening health outcomes. While physical activity can help manage both motor and NMS, the specific influence of NMS on activity levels remains unclear.

Method: Data from 24,813 individuals with PD were analyzed using the Insight Data Set from the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Variables included sex, age, disease duration, PASE scores, and NMSQ responses. Ridge regression addressed collinearity and guided variable selection for the first linear regression model, examining the relationship between specific NMS and physical activity in PD. A separate model explored the impact of overall NMS burden on physical activity levels.

Results: The following NMS were identified as strong predictors of PASE scores. Delusions, falls, apathy, leg swelling, hallucinations, bowel incontinence, sad feelings, swallowing difficulty, concentration difficulty, and constipation were associated with lower PASE scores (ps<0.001). In contrast, sexual disinterest, speech difficulty, and loss of smell were associated with higher PASE scores (ps<0.001). Female sex, longer disease duration, and older age were associated with lower PASE scores (ps<0.001). The final model accounted for 10.51% of the variance in total PASE scores. The model examining the impact of overall non-motor symptom burden (NMSQ total score) explained 7.3% of the variability in PASE scores. Notably, NMSQ total was significantly associated with a lower total PASE score (β =-3.7, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The presence of specific NMS may contribute to decreased engagement in physical activity in individuals with PD. Addressing these NMS could be essential for promoting physical activity, which may help slow disease progression and improve overall quality of life in individuals with PD.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-impact-of-non-motor-symptoms-on-physical-activity-in-parkinsons-disease/