Researchers of a small, 8-week pilot study in 26 people with Parkinson’s disease tested moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and found improved motor function, reflected by lower Movement Disorders Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part III scores. Stool and blood sampling accompanied clinical measures to explore mechanisms tied to the gut–brain axis. The study used a single-arm design without a control group, so findings are preliminary.
Exercise shifted the microbiome toward greater richness and diversity (higher Chao1 and β-diversity) with increased relative abundance of Clostridia (p=0.043) and Roseburia (p=0.015). Bile-acid profiles changed—fecal 7-ketolithocholic acid fell, and serum taurochenodeoxycholic and taurodeoxycholic acids decreased—alongside a more anti-inflammatory cytokine pattern (↓IL-1β, ↓IL-8, ↑IL-4). The convergence of microbiome, bile-acid, and cytokine changes with clinical improvement strengthens biological plausibility for exercise-mediated benefit. Together, findings suggest aerobic exercise may improve motor (and potentially non-motor) symptoms by modulating gut microbial composition, bile-acid metabolism, and systemic inflammation. Researchers note that larger randomized trials with longer follow-up are needed.
Reference: Wei Q, Wang H, Liu Y, et al. Aerobic exercise improves clinical symptoms in people with Parkinson’s disease and its potential mechanism. Front Neurol. 2025;16:1658162. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1658162.
