One of the earliest changes in pre-symptomatic HD gene carriers is decreased brain blood flow. (1) Knowing this could be something simple, from left field, that could lead to effective treatment for HD. Statins (2) and other things that improve blood flow could treat HD. Exercise dramatically extends the life of HD mice.(3) It is a good bet that exercise also entends the life of HD humans. Some can gain benefits by not having chorea treated or by simply walking. Others can enjoy a kick butt daily workout. Check out the HDL Triad. --Jerry 28-May-2001
From Runner's World, June 2001 article by Bill Donohue
Running provides many physical benefits, but its mental benefits are what keep us coming back for more. Perhaps most important, running makes us feel better and think more clearly.
Dramatic proof of this comes from recent research at Duke University. The study involved 156 sedentary people aged 50 to 70, all of whom were diagnosed as clinically depressed. Researchers divided the subjects into three groups: exercise-only, medication-only, and exerdse-plus-medication. The exercisers ran moderately three times a week for 30 minutes. After 16 weeks, all three groups showed identical mood improvement, implying that exercise was just as effective as medication in treating depression.
Wait, there's more. Researchers then measured cognitive function, and found that the exercisers showed greater improvements in skills such as concentration, planning, and organization than the medication-only patients.
"This study tells us that regular exercise might be a treatment for older adults with major depression," says psychologist James Blumenthal, Ph.D., the study's lead researcher. "But it also shows that exercise might offset some of the mental decline often associated with the aging process."
As for why this happens, it could all come down to blood flow. "Aerobic exercise such as running improves the heart's ability to pump blood effectively, and increases the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity," says Blumenthal. "This improved flow of blood to the brain may explain improved mental functioning."
—Bill Donohue