Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive pathology characterised by dysfunction in the dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic pathways in the brain, leading to motor and non-motor dysfunctions. Exercise programs effectively improve both motor and non-motor symptoms, increasing the patient’s independence, and quality of life.

Although long-term exercise effects have been extensively investigated, few studies have examined the acute exercise effects (e.g., effects observed after a single exercise session). These studies are particularly relevant to develop, implement, improve, and decrease any risk of tailored, and effective exercises for people with PD. In addition to the lack of these studies, other gaps in the field need addressing. Firstly, we need to further investigate how different exercise modalities acutely interfere with PD symptoms. Comparison of acute effects of different modalities might be the first factor in prescribing an appropriate modality targeting both motor, and non-motor symptoms. Moreover, it could support the development of theoretical bases for different practice settings. In addition, we need to further research how the manipulation of exercise load (i.e., relationships between duration and intensity) acutely affects Parkinson’s disease symptoms. Since the underlying physiological mechanism of long-term exercise effects depends on the duration/intensity, plausibly, the exercise load might also modulate the acute exercise responses. Further research should be conducted on how long acute effects (positive or negative) affect the PD symptoms after different sessions. Information regarding which exercise promotes the longest positive effects, or the shortest transitory negative responses. Thus, it is useful to plan an exercise program for patients with PD. Accumulate positive responses are desirable along with the training program, indicating that health professionals should apply the next stimuli before returning to baseline values. Finally, we need to further investigate the potential of acute responses to monitor training adaptations. Conceivably, if an exercise already promotes positive responses at the beginning of the exercise program, these responses should also emerge after a period of consecutive stimuli, unless adaptation has occurred (i.e., stabilisation). This should indicate that the prescription should be revised.

This aim of this Special Issue is to solicit original research articles, as well as review articles, discussing practical, and theoretical perspectives of acute exercise responses in patients with PD. Submissions focussing on enhancing our understanding of PD, and improving PD intervention strategies are particularly encouraged. We hope that this Special Issue also highlights the importance of advancing our knowledge about how different exercises (e.g., modality, duration, and intensity) interfere with motor and non-motor symptoms in people with PD, extending to specific aspects of PD (e.g., stage, medication or subtype).

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Acute exercise responses observed after sessions using different exercise modalities in Parkinson’s disease
• The effectiveness of different exercise modalities to acutely improve motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease
• The effectiveness of different exercise prescriptions (e.g., duration and intensity) to acutely improve non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease
• The influence of different exercise loads (i.e., relationships between duration and intensity) on acute exercise responses in Parkinson’s disease
• The influence of combined exercise session such as exercise cognitive demands, on motor and non-motor features of Parkinson’s disease
• The mechanisms, and interceding factors in acute exercise responses related to Parkinson’s Disease
• Neural modulations due to acute exercise responses in Parkinson’s disease
• The time course of acute exercise responses in Parkinson’s disease
• The reproducibility of acute exercise responses in Parkinson’s disease
• The use of acute exercise responses to monitor training adaptations in Parkinson’s disease
• Specific aspects of Parkinson’s disease (e.g., stage, subtypes, cognitive status), which would acutely affect the responsiveness and physiological markers of exercise
• The influence of anti-Parkinson’s drugs on the acute exercise responses (e.g., ON vs. OFF-state) in Parkinson’s disease
• The effects of aerobic exercise on encoding, and memory consolidation in people with Parkinson's Disease