In this session of Dr. Gilbert Hosts, special guest Dr. Daniel Corcos shared his expertise on how exercise can change the brain for the better and answered audience questions live.
Exercise is becoming widely recognized as a vital part of the treatment of PD, as it can help manage many PD motor symptoms. The research reveals the importance of physical exercise to optimize function and enhance quality of life. But in this exciting episode of Dr. Gilbert Hosts we learned about the positive effects exercise can have on the brain of people with PD.
Watch the broadcast now on APDA’s YouTube Channel and be sure to subscribe to the APDA YouTube channel for more informative and important resources for Parkinson’s disease.
ABOUT OUR SPEAKER: DR. DANIEL CORCOS
Daniel Corcos, PhD is Professor of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL. He obtained his PhD (1982) in Motor Control from the University of Oregon after obtaining his Master’s Degree in Psychology in 1980. The primary research interests of Dr. Corcos are aimed at helping people with Parkinson’s disease improve their quality of life, improve their mobility and cognition, and slow down the rate at which their disease progresses. Integrating neuroscience and expertise in conducting clinical trials, the research of Dr. Corcos focuses on interventions (such as resistance exercise and endurance exercise) that aim to reduce the symptoms of the disease and delay the rate at which the disease progresses. Within this context, Dr. Corcos uses exercise interventions whose dose (frequency, intensity, time and type) can be precisely controlled to achieve these goals and thereby develops and integrates laboratory-based interventions that people with Parkinson’s disease can employ in their local community. His current research, recently published in JAMA Neurology suggests that high intensity endurance slows down the rate at which Parkinson’s disease progresses. These findings have been covered in the New York Times and the general press world-wide. Dr. Corcos lectures nationally and internationally to physicians, neuroscientists, and patients on the benefits of exercise for those with Parkinson’s disease.