Comparing Cycling Modalities And Aerobic Outcomes In Older Adults With And Without Parkinson’S Disease

PURPOSE: Parkinson’s disease (PD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, impairs motor function and exercise tolerance, highlighting the need for tailored interventions to enhance quality of life. While regular exercise is recommended for individuals with PD, the optimal modality for aerobic activity has not been identified for improvements in health outcomes. Cycling is a recommended form of physical activity for both healthy adults and people with Parkinson’s Disease (PwPD), but the physiological responses to active-assisted (motorized pedal assist; AA) cycling or self-propelled cycling (recumbent bike; RB) are not well characterized in neurotypical adults (NT) or PwPD. This study aims to examine the effects of moderate intensity, acute bouts of AA and RB cycling on aerobic performance in NT and PwPD. METHODS: Fifteen adults with and without idiopathic PD (PD = 5; 71.2 ± 10.4 years) participated in four randomized 25-minute exercise sessions. Two AA and RB cycling sessions were each completed at two different intensity levels: 65-70% of estimated heart rate max, and a self-selected pace, 12-13 on the Borg Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale. Assessments included demographics, aerobic performance (peak relative oxygen consumption [VO2], heart rate [HR], and respiratory exchange ratio [RER]) during exercise. Between-group analyses were conducted to determine differences in aerobic performance among NT and PwPD. RESULTS: At 65-70% HRmax, measures of VO2 (NT: 14.96 ± 2.88 ml/kg/min; PD: 9.53 ± 4.1 ml/kg/min; p = .0105), HR (NT: 112.3 ± 14.73 bpm; PD: 88 ± 11.6 bpm; p = .0069), and RER (NT: 1.12 ± 0.09; PD: .994 ± .1; p = .0137) were higher in NT compared to PD. At 12-13 RPE, similar trends were observed, with NT showing higher VO2 (NT: 13.67 ± 3.62 ml/kg/min; PD: 9.06 ± 4.2 ml/kg/min; p = .0450), maximal HR (NT: 106.5 ± 21.6 bpm; PD: 84 ± 10.2 bpm; p = .0479), and RER (NT: 1.11 ± 0.1; PD: 1.00 ± .1; p = .0438) compared to PwPD. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary analysis shows that the NT group consistently achieved higher indicators of aerobic performance at similarly prescribed moderate intensities of aerobic exercise. As both modes of cycling were well tolerated by NT and PwPD, both AA and RB may be suitable for aerobic exercise engagement. Supported by: Rhode Island Foundation - Medical Research Grant