Cited by 54Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and TreatmentsNerve injury and regenerationNeurological disorders and treatments

Intensive Rehabilitation Enhances Lymphocyte BDNF-TrkB Signaling in Patients With Parkinson’s Disease

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Fontanesi, Cecilia, Kvint, Svetlana, Frazzitta, Giuseppe, Bera, Rossana, Ferrazzoli, Davide, Di Rocco, Alessandro, Rebholz, Heike, Friedman, Eitan +4 more·2016·Neurorehabilitation and neural repair

Abstract

Background In a combined animal and human study, we have previously found that a 5-day treatment that enhances cortical plasticity also facilitates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) signaling and increases activated TrkB and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) association in both the cortex and the peripheral lymphocytes. Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), in general, show decreased cortical plasticity, as demonstrated by electrophysiological and behavioral studies. Here, we test the hypothesis that an exercise program that improves motor function and seems to slow down symptom progression can enhance BDNF-TrkB signaling in lymphocytes. Methods A total of 16 patients with PD underwent a 4-week multidisciplinary intensive rehabilitation treatment (MIRT), which included aerobic training and physical and occupational therapy. Blood was collected before and after 2 and 4 weeks of MIRT. Lymphocytes were isolated to examine BDNF-TrkB signaling induced by incubation with recombinant human BDNF. TrkB signaling complexes, extracellular-signal-regulated kinase-2 and protein-kinase-B were immunoprecipitated; the content of immunocomplexes was determined by Western blotting. Results After MIRT, all patients showed improvement in motor function. TrkB interaction with NMDAR and BDNF-TrkB signaling increased in peripheral lymphocytes at receptor, intracellular mediator, and downstream levels. The decrements in Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale II (UPDRSII) and total scores were significantly correlated with the increases in TrkB signaling at receptor, intracellular mediator, and NMDAR interaction levels. Conclusions The significant correlation between reduced UPDRS scores and the changes in lymphocyte activity suggest that enhanced BDNF-TrkB signaling in lymphocyte and reduced severity of PD symptoms may be related.

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  1. [4]Lu B BDNF and Activity-Dependent Synaptic Modulation Learning & Memory 2003 10 86 98 12663747 PMC5479144

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Authors
Fontanesi, C., Kvint, S., Frazzitta, G., Bera, R., Ferrazzoli, D., Di Rocco, A., Rebholz, H., Friedman, E., Pezzoli, G., Quartarone, A., Wang, H.-Y., & Ghilardi, M. F.
Affiliations
  • The Graduate Center, CUNY (US)
  • City College of New York (US)
  • Moriggia Pelascini Hospital (IT)
  • The Fresco Institute for Parkinson’s & Movement Disorders, NYU-Langone School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
  • Istituti Clinici di Perfezionamento (IT)
  • University of Messina (IT)
Corresponding author
Ghilardi, M. Felice
Venue
Neurorehabilitation and neural repair
Published
2015-08-07
Volume
30
Issue
5
Pages
411-418
ISSN
  • 0888-4390 (ISSN-L)
  • 1545-9683
  • 1552-6844
OpenAlex
W2122687322
Cited by
54
References
31
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 1
FWCI
2.82
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neurorehabilitation and neural repair (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01NS054864)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and Treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Nerve injury and regeneration
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Neurological disorders and treatments
Keywords
Parkinson's disease, BDNF/TrkB signaling, lymphocytes, intensive rehabilitation, aerobic exercise, NMDA receptor, cortical plasticity, motor function, UPDRS scores, peripheral blood cells
MeSH terms
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Gene Expression Regulation, Humans, Lymphocytes, Male, Middle Aged, Occupational Therapy, Parkinson Disease, Severity of Illness Index, Signal Transduction, Exercise, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Receptor, trkB, Physical Therapy Modalities

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