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How Lifestyle Factors May Influence Brain Adaptability in Parkinson's Disease: Findings from Brain Imaging Studies

Longevity & Aging Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Mar 22, 2026

Abstract

Adopting a healthy lifestyle may improve the quality of life for individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Modulating lifestyle factors is associated with changes in both microstructural and macrostructural levels of the brain.
Neuroimaging studies could reveal mechanisms by which physical exercise, diet, cognitive enrichment, and substance exposure affect neuroprotection.
Certain lifestyle choices have been linked to altered risks of developing Parkinson's disease.
Positive or negative lifestyle behaviors may lead to structural and molecular changes in the brain.
Lifestyle modifications may influence both motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients.

Simplified

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by both motor and non-motor symptoms. A progressive neuronal loss and the consequent clinical impairment lead to deleterious effects on daily living and quality of life. Despite effective symptomatic therapeutic approaches, no disease-modifying therapies are currently available. Emerging evidence suggests that adopting a healthy lifestyle can improve the quality of life of PD patients. In addition, modulating lifestyle factors can positively affect the microstructural and macrostructural brain levels, corresponding to clinical improvement. Neuroimaging studies may help to identify the mechanisms through which physical exercise, dietary changes, cognitive enrichment, and exposure to substances modulate neuroprotection. All these factors have been associated with a modified risk of developing PD, with attenuation or exacerbation of motor and non-motor symptomatology, and possibly with structural and molecular changes. In the present work, we review the current knowledge on how lifestyle factors influence PD development and progression and the neuroimaging evidence for the brain structural, functional, and molecular changes induced by the adoption of positive or negative lifestyle behaviours.

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How Lifestyle Factors May Influence Brain Adaptability in Parkinson's Disease: Findings from Brain Imaging Studies

Abstract

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