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UAE: Newly diagnosed with Parkinson's? Exercise is 'only proven way' to slow it down

An expert noted that slow movement or trouble keeping up while walking are often mistaken for ageing but could be early signs of the disease

Regular exercise could play a pivotal role in slowing the advancement of Parkinson’s disease, according to an expert. He said that the disorder, which is expected to impact 17 million people by 2030, is becoming one of the most challenging diseases in the world in terms of both health and healthcare cost.

“If people are recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, the best way to really slow down the disease progression rate is basically exercise,” said Dr Emile Moukheiber, a movement disorders expert from Johns Hopkins Medicine International.

Dr. Moukheiber emphasised that for individuals recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s, exercise remains the most effective way to slow disease progression. “It may sound simplistic, but exercise is so far the only proven method to slow down the disease. We're also working on a lot of medication and other things that can help slow down the disease. But at this point, exercise is key," he explained.

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“We typically recommend at least 30 minutes of vigorous exercise, four to five times a week, to help manage the disease," he added.

Early warning signs

A 2022 study by UAE researchers, the EmPark study, revealed that Emiratis experience a slightly higher prevalence of early-onset Parkinson’s compared to the expat population. The study also highlighted a troubling trend: Emiratis tend to delay treatment longer than expats. “That's a problem because you're getting diagnosed later and being treated later,” he said. “So the patients are feeling worse for a longer period of time.”

Dr Moukheiber also pointed out several "prodromal symptoms" of Parkinson’s disease, which can appear 10 to 20 years before the more obvious signs. “Loss of smell and taste, REM sleep behaviour disorder (where individuals act out their dreams while sleeping), and constipation are some of the earliest indicators,” he noted.

“Other symptoms include anxiety, depression and movement symptoms like tightness, frozen shoulder, tremors and dexterity issues," he added.

He also noted that many people mistakenly attribute symptoms like slow movement or difficulty keeping up with others while walking to ageing, when in fact, these could be early signs of Parkinson’s.

Limited awareness, knowledge

Dr Moukheiber, who has been treating patients in the UAE at Clemenceau Medical Centre for over two years, also highlighted the lack of awareness surrounding Parkinson’s disease in the region. "Health literacy about Parkinson’s disease in the MENA region is still low, and resources for advanced treatments, such as deep brain stimulation or MRI-guided focused ultrasound, are limited," he said.

He acknowledged that while there is some research, there is a "knowledge gap" and the body of knowledge on Parkinson's in the MENA region is still insufficient. “There's only one study that was done in the UAE, and very few in the entire region, so we don't really understand the epidemiology of the disease," he explained.

Furthermore, he pointed out that doctors still lack clarity on specific "environmental risk factors" in the UAE that might contribute to the disease. "For example, the Nile area, there's a little bit more pesticide use, so we know that's an environmental risk factor,” he said, noting: "In the UAE, we don't really have that information.”

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