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Ukropcova 2017 MITOEAGLE Obergurgl

From Bioblast
COST Action MitoEAGLE
Effects of aerobic-strength training on motor functions, metabolism and skeletal muscle carnosine content in patients with Parkinson’s disease and healthy elderly population.

Link: MitoEAGLE

Ukropcova B, Just-Kukurova I, Krumpolec P, Lucia Slobodova L, Tirpakova V, Straka I, Janakova Z, Vajda M, Krssak M, Sedliak M, Valkovic P, Ukropec J (2017)

Event: MitoEAGLE Obergurgl 2017

COST Action MitoEAGLE

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease with a predominant motor symptomatology, associated with an impairment of the whole body glucose metabolism, changes in skeletal muscle phenotype and altered adaptive capacity to exercise. Skeletal muscle carnosine content has been shown to increase in response to exercise training in athletes and it is considered to be a part of exercise-induced adaptive response. The aim of our study was to investigate effects of 3-month aerobic-strength exercise on motor and metabolic functions as well as on muscle carnosine content in PD patients and healthy elderly controls.

The study population consisted of 14 healthy elderly individuals (M/F, 6/8; age 66.3±2.2yrs.; BMI, 27.0±3.9kg.m-2) and 11 PD patients (M/F, 5/6; age 62.9±6.6yrs.; BMI 28.5±5.1kg.m-2; Hoehn-Yahr scale 1-3). Clinical state of PD patients was assessed by MDS-UPDRS. Motor functions (senior fitness test), muscle strength (dynamometry), anthropometric parameters (BMI, fat and fat free mass, waist circumference) and cognitive functions (standardized cognitive tests: MMSE, ACE-R, MoCA) were assessed. Carnosine content was measured by 1H-MRS in m. gastrocnemius. Supervised aerobic-strength training (3x1h/week) consisted of strength exercises (major muscle groups, 3 repetitions, 60-70% of 1RM), nordic walking (65-75% of HRmax) and one aerobic-coordination exercise. Biopsy of m. vastus lateralis was taken before and after training and fiber type was determined.

Exercise training improved motor functions and muscle strength in all individuals, improving thus clinical state of PD patients (p<0.05). Training increased muscle carnosine levels by 40% in healthy controls (p<0,05). Compared to controls, PD patients displayed higher levels of muscle carnosine prior to exercise intervention (~40%; p<0,05), and aerobic-strength training failed to induce any change in muscle carnosine content in PD patients (p>0,05). Muscle carnosine was positively correlated with score of cognitive function tests (p≤0,01 for all three tests), specifically well with memory subscore of ACE-R (p=0,006) as well as with BMI, muscle mass and waist circumference (p<0,01), but not with fat mass. Carnosine content was also positively associated with muscle strength (p<0,001) and type IIb & IIa fiber size (p<0,05 for both). Parkinson’s disease was associated with a shift towards higher type IIb fiber content and size, parameters not affected by exercise training.

Regular exercise improved clinical state in PD patients and motor functions in both PD and control population, while increasing muscle carnosine in healthy elderly population, but not in PD patients. Skeletal muscle of PD patients displayed an altered phenotype and reduced capacity to adapt to exercise intervention.


Bioblast editor: Kandolf G


Labels: MiParea: Exercise physiology;nutrition;life style, Patients  Pathology: Aging;senescence, Parkinson's 

Organism: Human  Tissue;cell: Skeletal muscle 





Affiliations and support

(1,2)Ukropcova B, (5)Just-Kukurová I, (1)Krumpolec I, (1,2)Slobodova L, (3)Tirpakova V, (6)Straka I, (1,2)Janakova Z, (4)Vajda M, (5)Krssak M, (4)Sedliak M, (6)Valkovic P, (1)Ukropec J
  1. Biomedical Research Center Slovak Academy Sciences
  2. Inst Pathological Physiol, Fac Medicine, Comenius Univ
  3. Inst Physical Education, Slovak Health Univ
  4. Fac Physical Education Sports, Comenius Univ; Bratislava, Slovakia
  5. High Field MR Center, Medical Univ Vienna, Austria
  6. 2nd Neurol Dept, Fac Medicine & Univ Hospital Bratislava, Slovakia.- barbara.ukropcova@gmail.com


Grant support: SAS–NSC Joint Research Cooperation grant 2013/17, VEGA 2/0191/15, APVV 15-0253