Objective: Mapping the correlation between sedentary behavior (SB) and Parkinsons (PD) specific motor symptoms, measured on objective data from wearables.

Background: People with Parkinson’s (Pwp) are less physically active than similar age groups, and become increasingly less physically active as the disease progresses ^1,2. Physically inactive Pwp die earlier than patients with a higher level of physical activity and also have worse outcomes related to level of functioning with more severity in symptom burden ³. Also, physically active have better basic mobility and walking function with better balance and less risk of falling, higher quality of life, higher level of cognitive function, and more independency in activities of daily living ^4–8.

Previous studies addressing SB and symptom burden are primarily based on self-reported activity measures and the relation between SB and specific PD symptoms such as bradykinesia and dyskinesia, is not yet fully researched.

Method: This study uses a cross-sectional design to describe the relationship between SB and motor symptoms. It is a supplementary study to the self-management project Empower-PD, where participants are educated and guided in integrating coping and mental strategies to manage everyday life with PD. In the Empower-PD project participants wear a wrist-worn accelerometer watch that measures bradykinesia (slow movements) and dyskinesia (involuntary movements), and additional, provides a score for fluctuations, tremors, physical activity immobility and SB.

The participants will be the cohort from the Empower-PD project, recruited from Movement disorders Clinics as well as from neurologists and physiotherapists in private practice in The Capital Region of Denmark. In total 82, in Hoehn & Yahr phase 1-3, will be included

Primary outcome: Bradykinesia score based on objective algorithm data.

Secondary outcomes: Scores of dyskinesias, fluctuations and tremors.

Results: Characteristics of the participants will be displayed descriptively. One week of SB and bradykinesia and dyskinesia will be analyzed. The results will bepresented at MDS congress in Philadelphia 2024.

Conclusion: We hypothesize that SB is associated with a greater degree of bradykinesia on average over a week. This study can contribute with perspectives on correlation between SB and specific PD motor symptoms. It can potentially be hypothesis-generating for further studies.

References: [1] Wallén, M. B., Franzén, E., Nero, H. & Hagströmer, M. Levels and Patterns of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Elderly People With Mild to Moderate Parkinson Disease. Phys Ther 95, 1135–1141 (2015).
[2] Nimwegen, M. Van et al. Physical inactivity in Parkinson’s disease. J Neurol 258, 2214–2221 (2011).
[3]Yoon, S. Y., Suh, J. H., Yang, S. N., Han, K. & Kim, Y. W. Association of Physical Activity, Including Amount and Maintenance, With All-Cause Mortality in Parkinson Disease. JAMA Neurol 78, 1446–1453 (2021).
[4]Amara, A. W. et al. Self-reported physical activity levels and clinical progression in early Parkinson’s disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 61, 118–125 (2019).
[5]Snider, J. et al. Non-exercise physical activity attenuates motor symptoms in Parkinson disease independent from nigrostriatal degeneration. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 21, 1227–1231 (2015).
[6]Domingues, V. L., Pompeu, J. E., de Freitas, T. B., Polese, J. & Torriani-Pasin, C. Physical activity level is associated with gait performance and five times sit-to-stand in Parkinson’s disease individuals. Acta Neurol Belg 122, 191–196 (2022).
[7] Nero, H. et al. Objectively Assessed Physical Activity and its Association with Balance, Physical Function and Dyskinesia in Parkinson’s Disease. J Parkinsons Dis 6, 833–840 (2016).
[8] van Uem, J. M. T. et al. The association between objectively measured physical activity, depression, cognition, and health-related quality of life in Parkinson’s disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 48, 74–81 (2018).

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/move-pd-mapping-the-correlation-of-sedentary-behavior-with-motor-symptoms-in-parkinsons-disease/