Physical Activity Levels and Demographic Characteristics in Individuals with Huntington’s Disease: Insights from the ENROLL-HD Database in an Argentinian movement disorder center

González Rojas N; Gatto EM Instituto Neurociencias Buenos Aires (INEBA) 

Introduction and Objectives

Neurological disorders have been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death globally in 2022. Daily physical activity (PA) has been recommended by the WHO as a means to mitigate cognitive decline and mortality, particularly in neurodegenerative disorders. Recent estimates suggest a PA prevalence of 52% in the Argentinean population. Huntington’s disease (HD) is characterized by neuropsychiatric, cognitive, and motor symptoms and is influenced by genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. Studies indicate a potential positive effect of physical exercise (PE) on delaying HD onset and reducing its severity, with higher PA levels correlating with better cognitive performance. Despite evidence supporting the benefits of PE, its prescription as a complementary treatment for HD patients faces limitations, especially in earlier disease stages and low-income populations. (Fig 1) Our primary objective was to assess PA levels in individuals enrolled in the ENROLL-HD database and to compare demographic characteristics between PE practitioners (YPE) and non-practitioners (N-PE)