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Introduction: Parkinson's disease is characterised by the presence of motor symptoms including hypomimia, and by non-motor symptoms including alterations in facial recognition of basic emotions. Few studies have investigated this alteration and its relationship to the severity of hypomimia., Objective: The objective is to study the relationship between hypomimia and the facial recognition of basic emotions in subjects with Parkinson's disease., Subjects and Methods: Twenty-three patients and 29 controls were evaluated with the test battery for basic emotion facial recognition. The patients were divided into two subgroups according to the intensity of their hypomimia., Results: The comparison in battery test performance between the minimal/mild hypomimia and moderate/severe hypomimia groups was statistically significant in favour of the former group., Conclusions: This finding shows a close relationship between expression and facial recognition of emotions, which could be explained through the mechanism of motor simulation.

Objectives: Parkinson's disease (PD) generates a high incidence of falls, however, there is little evidence of instabilities in the initial stages. This investigation sought to compare the muscle activation times in patients with initial PD against a postural disturbance vs. a control group., Materials and Methods: The electromyographic activity (EMG) of 10 patients with PD in early stages (61.3 ±3.8 years) and a control group of 10 adults (62.2 ±3.0 year) was evaluated. The participants were subjected to a surface disturbance, which generated a stabilization response. The test was performed under 2conditions: eyes open (OA) v/s eyes closed (OC). Trunk (spinal erector) and lower extremity (soleus, tibialis anterior, femoral biceps, femoral rectus, adductor magnus, gluteus medius) muscle activation time was analyzed using surface EMG., Results: The PD group showed faster response times compared to the control group in the soleus muscle in OC (P=.04). This same muscle showed differences when comparing OA vs. OC only in the PD group (P=.04), showing a shorter response time in the OC condition. When comparing the spinal erector muscle, the PD group showed slower response times in the OA (P=.02) and OC (P=.04) conditions compared to the control group., Conclusions: Muscle activation times show that people with PD respond slower in the trunk muscles, while activation times decrease at the distal level. In the early stages, the slower responses at the trunk level could explain the onset of instability postural in these patients., (Copyright © 2022 Sociedad Española de Rehabilitación y Medicina Física. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Difficulties in action language processing (e.g. verbs) have been described in Parkinson's disease (PD). The embodied cognition approach links this difficulty to degenerative motor process. It has also been suggested that frontostriatal dysfunction could involve executive problems for lexical selection, which is generally more demanding for verbs. From this point of view, difficulties should diminish in a supportive context., Subjects and Methods: 21 non demented people with PD and 16 control subjects were evaluated in an object and action naming task preceded by a sentence context that could be predictive or not of the target word (e.g. 'When the music started the couple began to…' 'dance'). The mobility of actions and the manipulability of objects were also manipulated., Results: PD patients showed longer response latencies for verbs than the control group. In line with the embodied cognition approach, actions that implied higher mobility were more difficult for the group of people with PD. Moreover, PD patients benefited more from the predictive context for naming objects and actions., Conclusions: Results suggest that both a disruption at the level of action semantics and a subtle executive dysfunction contribute to lexical access difficulties in people with PD, even in the absence of overt cognitive impairment.

Introduction: Treadmill training is considered an effective intervention to improve gait ability in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). In parallel, virtual reality shows promising intervention with several applications in the inpatient medical setting., Aim: To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of mechanical gait assistance combined with immersive virtual reality in patients with PD., Patients and Methods: This pilot and feasibility study followed a pre-post study design. The intervention consisted of 12 sessions of 30 minutes, distributed regularly over four consecutive weeks. Participants walked on a treadmill with a body-weight support system set at approximately 20% of body weight and equipped with a virtual reality helmet controlled by a two-handed joystick. Feasibility and intervention outcomes were collected at baseline and after four weeks of intervention., Results: Twelve participants of 60 patients were finally enrolled. Nine of them (75%) completed the treatment intervention with an adherence rate of 97%. Two participants left the study, one of them due to sickness associated with virtual reality and another because of a lack of motivation. There were significant differences associated with small-medium effect sizes when comparing the pre and post values for walk distance, walk speed, balance, and quality of life., Conclusions: The present study provided preliminary evidence supporting the feasibility of the combination of antigravity treadmill and immersive virtual reality system for the rehabilitation of patients with PD.

Aim: To systematically review all the literature, focusing on instrumental quantitative assessment of voice in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Furthermore, a meta-analysis was performed to identify the main characteristics of voice disturbances in PD., Patients and Methods: Literature searches with the keywords «Parkinson» and «voice» were conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science. Main inclusion criteria were: clinically confirmed PD and instrumented measurement of voice parameters with acoustic analysis of voice., Results: Fourteen publications met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The data within the meta-analysis revealed that several voice parameters including jitter, shimmer and fundamental frequency variation presented significant variations between patients with EP and healthy controls. Significant variations of fundamental frequency, maximum phonation time, harmonic to noise ratio, standard deviation of fundamental frequency were observed, but with a high heterogeneity between the studies. On the other hand, significant variations of noise to harmonic ratio, s/z ratio, variation of amplitude were not observed., Conclusion: Acoustic analysis of voice, using an electronic system, allows the identification of changes in voice parameters for predicting the worsening of disease and for targeting specific intervention. Among the voice parameters, jitter and shimmer significantly increased in patients with PD.

Aim: To investigate the validity and reproducibility of the Glittre Activities of Daily Living (Glittre-ADL) test for individuals with Parkinson's disease., Subjects and Methods: Thirty individuals with Parkinson's disease and 19 healthy individuals (control group) were evaluated. Parkinson's disease group was evaluated by the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and underwent the Glittre-ADL test, six-minute walk test (6MWT) and ten-meter walk test (10mWT). Control group performed the Glittre-ADL test. For the intraobserver analysis, two Glittre-ADL tests were performed. For the interobserver analysis, the Glittre-ADL test was repeated on a different day by a second examiner., Results: The Glittre-ADL test was significantly correlated with UPDRS Section II, Section III, and total score. The Glittre-ADL test was inversely correlated with the 6MWT and positively correlated with the 10mWT. The time required to perform the Glittre-ADL test was shorter on the retest in the intraobserver analysis and in the interobserver analysis. The mean difference between the first and second tests, the standard error of measurement and minimum detectable change in minutes were 0.40, 0.08 and 0.24, respectively, for intraobserver, and 0.40, 0.22 and 0.62, for interobserver., Conclusion: The Glittre-ADL test is valid and reproducible to evaluate functional capacity in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (DBS-SN) on cognitive function in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) 5 years after surgery., Material and Methods: We conducted a prospective study including 50 patients with PD who underwent DBS-SN (62.5% were men; mean age of 62.2±8.2 years; mean progression time of 14.1±6.3 years). All patients were assessed before the procedure and at one year after surgery; 40 patients were further followed up until the 5-year mark. Follow-up assessments included the following neuropsychological tests: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS), letter-number sequencing of the WAIS-III (WAIS-III-LN), clock-drawing test, Rey auditory verbal learning test (RAVLT), Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT), Judgment of Line Orientation (JLO) test, FAS Phonemic Verbal Fluency Test, Stroop test, and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)., Results: Patients were found to score lower on the MMSE (-0.89%), clock-drawing test (-2.61%), MDRS (-1.72%), and especially phonemic (-13.28%) and sematic verbal fluency tests (-12.40%) at one year after surgery. Delayed recall on the RAVLT worsened one year after the procedure (-10.12%). At 5 years, impairment affected mainly verbal fluency; scores decreased an additional 16.10% and 16.60% in semantic and phonemic verbal fluency, respectively. Moderate decreases were observed in immediate recall (-16.87%), WAIS-III-LN (-16.67%), and JLO test (-11.56%)., Discussion: In our sample, DBS-SN did not result in global cognitive impairment 5 years after surgery. Verbal function was found to be significantly impaired one year after the procedure. Impaired learning and visuospatial function may be attributed to degeneration associated with PD., (Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Objective: In clinical practice, assessing patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex, time-consuming task. Our purpose is to provide a rigorous and objective evaluation of how motor function in PD patients is assessed by neurologists specialising in movement disorders, on the one hand, and by nurses specialising in PD management, on the other., Methods: We conducted an observational, cross-sectional, single-centre study of 50 patients with PD (52% men; mean age: 64.7 ± 8.7 years) who were assessed between 5 January 2016 and 20 July 2016. A neurologist and a nurse evaluated motor function in the early morning hours using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) parts III and IV and Hoehn & Yahr (H&Y) scale. Tests were administered in the same PD periods (in 48 patients during the 'off' time and in 2 patients during the 'on' time). Inter-rater variability was estimated with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)., Results: Forty-nine patients (98%) were classified in the same H&Y stage by both raters. Assessment times were similar for both raters. ICC for UPDRS-IV and UPDRS-III total scores were 0.955 (P<.0001) and 0.954 (P<.0001), respectively. The greatest variability was found for UPDRS-III item 29 (gait; ICC=0.746; P<.0001) and the lowest, for item 30 (postural stability; ICC=0.918; P<.0001)., Conclusions: Motor function assessment of PD patients by a trained nurse is equivalent to that made by an expert neurologist and takes the same time to complete., (Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Multicomponent physical training in patients with Parkinson disease may improve their functional independence, especially in terms of gait speed and coordination., Aim: To assess the effects of an eight weeks multicomponent physical training program in patients with Parkinson disease., Material and Methods: Fourteen patients with Parkinson disease participated in a physical training program that lasted eight weeks. Three sessions lasting 60 minutes per week were carried out. Patients were assessed using the six minutes walk, timed up and go and the unipodal stance test., Results: After the training period, significant improvements in the six minute walk test and timed up and go were observed. No significant changes were observed in the unipodal stance test., Conclusions: The eight weeks training program improved gait speed and functional status in these patients with Parkinson disease.

«Apuntes en Neurologia» is an initiative in which prominent national and international leaders, with broad academic recognition, came together to synthesise the most outstanding clinical aspects within their area of interest and to discuss the latest developments in a more accessible language. Understanding the factors that affect the onset and progression of any neurological disease through a review is important to be able to develop strategies to reduce the burden of these diseases. Moreover, knowledge of the clinical aspects is essential to solve the problems of daily clinical practice. The data collected here reflect the weight of evidence and some of them anticipate a promising future in the treatment of these diseases. This first edition focuses on common paroxysmal neurological disorders such as migraine, epilepsy and sleep disorders, as well as neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease and cognitive impairment. These are clearly different pathologies, although some of them such as migraine and epilepsy, may share clinical symptoms. Sleep disorders, however, are important manifestations of neurodegenerative diseases that are sometimes clinically apparent long before the onset of other neurological symptoms. After recalling pathophysiology and diagnosis, the current review focuses on bringing together the main advances in five of the major neurological diseases.

Introduction: There are many patients with Parkinson's disease who have a limited response to conventional pharmacological treatment. The use of stem cells has been postulated as an alternative, although its effectiveness remains a matter of controversy., Methods: To answer this question we used Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which is maintained by screening multiple information sources, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, among others. We extracted data from the systematic reviews, reanalyzed data of primary studies, conducted a meta-analysis and generated a summary of findings table using the GRADE approach., Results and Conclusions: We identified two systematic reviews including 21 studies overall, of which three were randomized trials. We concluded it is not clear whether stem cells have any effect on the symptoms of Parkinson's disease because the certainty of the available evidence is very low.

Introduction and Objective: Fatigue and balance impairment leads to a loss of independence and are important to adequately manage. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of a resistance training program on dynamic balance and fatigue in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD)., Patients and Methods: Randomized controlled trial. Forty-six patients with PD were randomly allocated to an intervention group receiving a 8-week resistance training program focused on lower limbs or to a control group. Balance was assessed using the Mini-BESTest and fatigue was assessed by the Piper Fatigue Scale., Results: Patients in the intervention group improved significantly (p<0.05) on dynamic balance (reactive postural control and total values) and perceived fatigue., Conclusions: An 8-week resistance training program was found to be effective at improving dynamic balance and fatigue in patients with PD., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative process that affects 7.5 million people around the world. Since 2004, several studies have demonstrated changes in various retinal layers in PD using optical coherence tomography (OCT). However, there are some discrepancies in the results of those studies. Some of them have correlated retinal thickness with the severity or duration of the disease, demonstrating that OCT measurements may be an innocuous and easy biomarker for PD progression. Other studies have demonstrated visual dysfunctions since early phases of the disease. Lastly, the most recent studies that use Swept Source OCT technology, have found choroidal thickness increase in PD patients and provide new information related to the retinal degenerative process in this disease. The aim of this paper is to review the literature on OCT and PD, in order to determine the altered retinal and choroidal parameters in PD and their possible clinical usefulness, and also the visual dysfunctions with higher impact in these patients., (Copyright © 2018 Sociedad Española de Oftalmología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Freezing of gait (FOG) is a motor disturbance usually appearing in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Cognitive and executive function seems to play an important role in this phenomenon., Aim: To investigate if cognitive and kinematic parameters correlate with FOG in PD patients without dementia., Patients and Methods: We conducted an observational cross-sectional study. Participants were classified in two groups: freezers and non-freezers. Clinical information was obtained by Hoehn and Yahr scale, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale and balance test of Short Physical Performance Battery. Cognitive function was evaluated using Minimental Examination and the Fuld Object Memory Evaluation; executive function was assessed with the Frontal Assessment Battery test. Battery kinematic parameters were assessed by means of gait speed, cadence, stride length and stride time., Results: Twenty-five participants with PD without dementia completed the evaluation. Statistical significant differences between freezers and non-freezers were found in global cognition (p = 0,02), memory (p = 0,04), executive function (p = 0,04), cadence (p = 0,02), stride length (p = 0,04) and stride time (p = 0,01)., Conclusion: Cognitive parameters may have an important contribution to the manifestation of freezing of gait in PD. These results may have important clinical implications for developing future non-pharmacological and cognitive interventions strategies targeted to PD patients with FOG.

Introduction: Reduced facial expression or amimia is one of the most typical characteristics of Parkinson's disease (PD). Despite being described in classic texts, its significance, physiopathology and correlation with motor and non-motor symptoms is largely unknown., Patients and Methods: We have studied facial bradykinesia in a group of 84 de novo PD patients prospectively evaluated for five years. We also studied the relationship of facial bradykinesia with depression in a subgroup of 30 patients., Results: Baseline and follow-up assessments were performed with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Baseline facial bradykinesia was rated according to item 19 of UPDRS. Baseline facial bradykinesia correlated with total and motor baseline UPDRS. In addition, baseline bradykinesia correlated with total and motor UPDRS at five years. However baseline bradykinesia did not influence the presence of motor (motor fluctuation, dyskinesias and freezing of gait) or non-motor complications (delusion, behavior abnormalities and dementia) at five years. Finally a subgroup of 30 patients completed the self-report version of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS-SR16) questionnaire, facial bradykinesia did not correlate with QIDS-SR16 scores., Conclusion: Our study suggests that baseline facial bradykinesia correlates with general baseline situation in PD and even might predict the motor and functional status at five years.

The original description of what currently is known as Parkinson's disease was published 200 years ago. During both these centuries, knowledge on symptomatology, pathophysiology, genetics and pharmaceutical and surgical treatment has significantly increased; however, this nosological entity continues to be of imprecise origin and progressive evolution. In the present review, the historical events that contributed to describe and improve the understanding of this disease are summarized., (Copyright: © 2018 SecretarÍa de Salud.)

Introduction: The management of motor complications in Parkinson's disease (PD) is still limited. Safinamide, a new drug that has MAO-B inhibition and antiglutamatergic effects through inhibition of sodium channels, has shown efficacy for the treatment of fluctuations at doses of 50-100 mg/day., Patients and Methods: From daily clinical practice, we describe the efficacy and tolerability of safinamide at three months in PD patients with motor complications. Efficacy was assessed by the Clinical Global Impression of Change scale and change in 'off' time during the daytime. All reported adverse events were recorded., Results: Fifty patients were recruited. 57.4% reported to be much better or moderately better at three months, improving both motor and non-motor fluctuations. Significant decrease of 0.9 ± 0.6 h/day was achieved at three months. In 13 patients (27.6%), levodopa equivalent daily dose was reduced in 132 mg/day. In patients with dyskinesias, safinamide 100 mg/day was better for controlling fluctuations and dyskinesias. 19% of patients had mild adverse events. Seven patients stopped treatment after development of confusional syndrome., Conclusions: The dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic action of safinamide exerts a good control of motor fluctuations. In patients with fluctuations and dyskinesias the dose of 100 mg/day of safinamide is preferred. Tolerability was good, except for patients older than 75 years or in advanced stages of the disease.

Introduction: High levels of homocysteine linked to treatment with levodopa have been observed in patients with Parkinsons disease (PD). Our aim was to assess the influence of serum homocysteine levels and other PD-related on the sympathetic skin response., Patients and Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted that consecutively included patients with PD. We unilaterally assessed the sympathetic skin response in the upper limbs. We measured the influence of PD severity (measured by the Hoehn and Yahr and the Schwab and England scales, and the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale) and blood homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folic acid levels on the latency and amplitude of the sympathetic skin response., Results: A total of 78 patients were enrolled, and all achieved a sympathetic skin response. In the bivariate analysis, latency was significantly correlated with age, age at PD onset and homocysteinaemia levels. The presence of hyper-homocysteinemia was associated with a longer latency. The amplitude was only correlated with the score on the Schwab and England scale. In the multivariate analysis, age was the only variable that showed a significant association with the latency duration and homocysteine levels., Conclusion: A direct association could not be established between the increase in homocysteinaemia levels and sympathetic skin response dysfunction in PD. The results of the multivariate analysis suggest that latency prolongation in elderly patients could be due to the fact that these patients have higher blood levels of homocysteinaemia.

Movement disorders can be defined as neurological syndromes presenting with excessive or diminished automatic or voluntary movements not related to weakness or spasticity. Both Parkinson's disease (PD) and Huntington's disease (HD) are well-known examples of these syndromes. The high prevalence of comorbid psychiatric symptoms like depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, hallucinations, delusions, impulsivity, sleep disorders, apathy and cognitive impairment mean that these conditions must be regarded as neuropsychiatric diseases. In this article, we review neuroanatomical (structural and functional), psychopathological and neuropsychological aspects of PD and HD. The role of fronto-subcortical loops in non-motor functions is particularly emphasised in order to understand the clinical spectrum of both diseases, together with the influence of genetic, psychological and psychosocial aspects. A brief description of the main psychopharmacological approaches for both diseases is also included., (Copyright © 2017 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Objectives: Apathy, defined as a deficit for initiating and maintaining action, is a symptom affecting patients with diverse psychiatric and neuropsychiatric diseases, including dementia, sequelae of traumatic brain injury, schizophrenia, depression, and Parkinson's disease (PD). Apathy negatively affects function and quality of life of PD patients, and it is an important cause of caregiver's distress. The pharmacological treatment of apathy in PD is the focus of this systematic review., Methods: A comprehensive search and systematic selection was performed in different databases of original research papers on the treatment of apathy in PD. The results were then consolidated, and a critical analysis was made of the research papers. The results are then discussed according to the methodological standards for systematic reviews of the literature., Results: A total of 11 studies were included. Although some studies showed efficacy, all of them had important methodological limitations that hampered the interpretation of results. The results of the examined studies cannot be considered as evidence for guiding clinical decisions., Conclusions: So far, no evidence-based recommendations can be offered for the treatment of apathy in PD. More studies with better methodological quality are needed. It is a potentially fruitful area for research and one badly needed by both PD patients and their caregivers., (Copyright © 2017 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.)

The neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) is widely used to induce models of Parkinson's disease (PD). We now know that the model induced by 6-OHDA does not include all PD symptoms, although it does reproduce the main cellular processes involved in PD, such as oxidative stress, neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, and neuronal death by apoptosis. In this review we analyse the factors affecting the vulnerability of dopaminergic neurons as well as the close relationships between neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and apoptosis in the 6-OHDA model. Knowledge of the mechanisms involved in neurodegeneration and cell death in this model is the key to identifying potential therapeutic targets for PD., (Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

It is postulated cannabinoids may have benefits in Parkinson's disease. However, its actual clinical effectiveness is still discussed. To answer this question, we used Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which is maintained by screening multiple information sources, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, among others. We identified six systematic reviews including eight studies overall, of which four were randomized trials relevant for the question of interest. We extracted data from the systematic reviews, reanalyzed data of primary studies included in these reviews, conducted a meta-analysis and generated a summary of findings table using the GRADE approach. We concluded cannabinoids probably do not decrease symptoms in Parkinson’s disease or dyskinesia, and probably are associated to frequent adverse effects in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Introduction: Parkinson's disease is a type of chronic neurodegenerative pathology with a typical movement pattern, as well as different, less studied symptoms such as dysphagia. Disease-related disorders in efficacy or safety in the process of swallowing usually lead to malnutrition, dehydration or pneumonias. The aim of this study was identifying and analyzing swallowing disorders in Parkinson's disease., Subjects and Methods: The initial sample consisted of 52 subjects with Parkinson's disease to whom the specific test for dysphagia SDQ was applied. Nineteen participants (36.5%) with some degree of dysphagia in the SDQ test were selected to be evaluated by volume-viscosity clinical exploration method and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing., Results: Disorders in swallowing efficiency and safety were detected in 94.7% of the selected sample. With regards to efficiency, disorders were found in food transport (89.5%), insufficient labial closing (68.4%) and oral residues (47.4%), relating to duration of ingestion. Alterations in security were also observed: pharynx residues (52.7%), coughing (47.4%), penetration (31.64%), aspiration and decrease of SaO 2 (5.3%), relating to the diagnosis of respiratory pathology in the previous year., Conclusion: The SDQ test detected swallowing disorders in 36.5% of the subjects with Parkinson's disease. Disorders in swallowing efficiency and safety were demonstrated in 94.7% of this subset. Disorders of efficiency were more frequent than those of safety, establishing a relationship with greater time in ingestion and the appearance of respiratory pathology and pneumonias., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Brain asymmetry could be defined as the existence of functional, anatomic or neurochemical differences between both hemispheres. It is a dynamic phenomenon, regulated by endogenous and exogenous factors. Its functional significance is poorly clarified and is only partially understood in very specific cases such as the relationship between the lateralized brain content of dopamine and its motor effects which is specially patent in Parkinson's disease., Development: The asymmetric brain content of dopamine not only displays lateralized motor effects but also behavioral and autonomic asymmetric consequences. In fact, Parkinson's disease is characterized not only by unilateral motor symptoms that arise at the early stages, but has other non-motor symptoms such as autonomic or cognitive alterations that are also revealed asymmetrically., Conclusions: Brain asymmetry has been underestimated when analyzing the pathogeny of brain diseases and it has been partially studied only in some specific cases, such as Parkinson's disease. However, in order to appropriately understand some brain diseases such as Parkinson's disease, the need to consider this phenomenon has been highlighted.

Aim: To describe the gait disorders and postural instability in a group of patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD)., Patients and Methods: Gait was analysed in patients in advanced stages of PD on medication. Using a computerised analysis system, we studied the kinematic variables: cadence, number of correct gait cycles (HFPS cycles), total number of cycles, duration of the phases of the cycle, electromyography and a goniometric study of the knee and the ankle. The clinical appraisal of balance and postural instability was completed with the Tinetti and Timed Up and Go tests., Results: The analysis showed alterations in the spatio-temporal parameters with respect to the ranges considered to be normal: reduction of the HFPS cycles, increase in the total number of cycles and alteration of the cadence in many patients. It also revealed that the mean cadence was kept within the limits of normal values, an increase in the duration of the contact phase, reduction of monopodal support and alteration of the joint range of motion of the knee and the ankle. Likewise, changes are also observed in the scores obtained on the clinical scales, which show an increase in the risk factor for falls and mild dependence., Conclusion: Quantification by objective analysis of the kinetic and kinematic variables in patients with PD can be used as a tool to establish the influence of the different therapeutic alternatives in gait disorders.

Introduction: Parkinson's disease is characterized by a broad spectrum of neuropsychiatric manifestations. Its pathophysiology has been associated with the disease itself as well as with the dopaminergic treatment., Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in drug-naive patients with early Parkinson's disease. All participants were evaluated through a set of scales for specific neuropsychiatric symptoms including: cognition, depression, anxiety, apathy, psychosis, and impulse control disorder., Results: A total of 63 patients with Parkinson were included, of whom 26 (41.3%) subjects had some degree of cognitive impairment; seven (11.1%) had depression and 11 (15.8%) subjects had anxiety. Regarding the other symptoms, a total of 12 (19%) patients showed apathy, seven (11.1%) had psychosis, and eight (12.6%) patients had symptoms related to impulse control disorders., Conclusion: Neuropsychiatric disorders are common in drug-naive patients with early Parkinson's disease. Given the impact of these symptoms on quality of life, identification and proper treatment is essential.

Introduction: Parkinson disease is a neurodegenerative condition involving motor, cognitive, and linguistic deficits. It is important to know why all these different deficits co-occur in the affected people. This paper aims to clarify whether these comorbid deficits result from the selective impairment of a computational primitive, namely, a context-sensitive computational ability according to Chomsky's Hierarchy (a well-established research tool in comparative neuroscience)., Patients and Methods: A total of 15 medicated subjects with Parkinson disease and 15 controls were selected. They were matched in age and education. A battery of tasks was designed to test 3 different domains (motor capacities, cognition, and language) and 2 different computational abilities (context-free and context-sensitive operations)., Results: Significant differences between groups were observed only regarding the linguistic task involving context-sensitive computations (correferences)., Conclusions: The observed deficits in our patients with Parkinson disease cannot be explained in terms of the selective impairment of one only unspecific, low-level computational process. At the same time, differences between patients and controls are expected to be greater if the former are not medicated. Moreover, we should pursue in the search of (this kind of) computational primitives than can be selectively impaired in people with Parkinson disease, because they may help to achieve an earlier diagnosis of this condition., (Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Over recent years, several types of freezing of gait (FOG) have been described, mainly according to their response to levodopa. FOG in Parkinson's disease presents in a variety of ways due to differences within the underlying pathophysiology. In a number of patients, increasing the dopaminergic stimulation may not improve this condition, and may even worsen it., Case Reports: We present two patients with Parkinson's disease who were evaluated during off, on and supra-on periods. Motor function was assessed with Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale III, tapping test on lower limbs and quantification of FOG episodes during each of these periods. Both patients presented FOG episodes while in off period, experiencing a significant improvement during on period. However, when increasing the dopaminergic stimulation in order to try to improve their motor response, FOG episodes worsened to the point of impairing gait., Conclusions: FOG episodes are not always a consequence of akinesia or rigidity. Regarding the pathophysiology, the lack of an appropriate response to treatment would be explained by the involvement of structures exceeding the substantia nigra and the dopaminergic deficit. FOG worsening during periods of dopaminergic overstimulation could be related to a neurotransmitters disbalance affecting other nuclei involved in postural and gait control.

Unlabelled: Intoduction - Objetive Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with motor and non-motor symptoms , and is progressively disabling. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of occurrence of non- motor symptoms (NMS ) in PD patients in treatment, according to the evolutionary stage of the disease., Material and Methods: We carried out a prospective observational descriptive study which included patients diagnosed with PD who were under treatment and consulted at Servicio de Neurología del Hospital Nacional de Clínicas. Patients were classified into two groups: 1) Patients with PD with less than 2 years of disease evolution - "Early evolutive stage group"; and 2) Patients with PD of 6 years of disease evolution or more - "Late evolutive stage group". The following scales were applied: UPDRS, NMSQuest and H&Y., Results: 110 PD patients , 61 men ( 55%) and 49 women (44 % ) were studied , with an age of 70.0 ± 0.9 years. The late evolution group had significantly higher frequency of anxiety, falls by orthostatic hypotension , hallucinations, nausea - vomiting and double vision, with respect to the group of early evolution. Significant correlations were observed between NMS (PDNMS Quest) and the time evolution of the EP (r2 0.11) and the UPDRS (r20.36) scale., Conclusion: all patients had some NMS being significantly more common in patients in the late evolutionary group.

Introduction: Hyposmia and substantia nigra hyperechogenicity (SN+) are characteristic markers of Parkinson's disease (PD), although their diagnostic value in isolation may be limited. We evaluated the combined prevalence of both disorders in patients diagnosed with PD and assessed their diagnostic yield compared to a sample with essential tremor (ET) and another group of healthy subjects., Methods: Patients diagnosed with PD and ET and treated in our outpatient clinic were enrolled. Olfaction was assessed using the "Sniffin' Sticks" odour identification test (SS-12) and hyperechogenicity of the substantia nigra (SN+) was assessed by transcranial duplex ultrasound., Results: A total of 98 subjects were analysed, comprising 30 with PD, 21 with ET, and 47 controls. The respective prevalence rates of hyposmia (SS-12 < 8) and SN+ (area > .24cm(2)) were 70% and 83.3% in PD, 33.3% and 9.5% in ET, and 17% and 10.6% in controls. Both markers were present in 63% of patients with PD, none of the patients with ET, and only 2 of the controls., Conclusions: Combined use of substantia nigra sonography and olfactory testing with SS-12, two rapid, safe, and accessible tests, was more specific than each isolated marker for distinguishing patients with PD from patients with ET and control subjects. Since both markers have been described in very early phases of PD, combined use may be helpful in providing early diagnosis of PD., (Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Different gastrointestinal symptoms, such as excessive salivation, deterioration and other disorders affecting the teeth, dysphagia, gastroparesis, gastroesophageal reflux, constipation, difficult defecation or loss of weight are frequent events in all the stages of the development of Parkinson's disease and affect at least a third of the patients. These symptoms reflect the dysfunction of the enteric nervous system, and the stomach is one of the organs where alpha-synuclein is first deposited. Other factors, such as the dysfunction of structures in the central nervous system like the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagal nerve, hormonal factors or secondary effects deriving from the consumption of antiparkinsonian drugs, are involved in its origin. The present article offers a detailed review of the epidemiological, pathophysiological, clinical and therapeutic management aspects of the different gastrointestinal symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

Autonomic dysfunction is a common manifestation in patients with in Parkinson's disease, which can sometimes precede motor impairment. It can be expressed as orthostatic and postprandial hypotension, supine hypertension, hypersalivation, constipation, delayed gastric emptying, dyshidrosis, bladder and sexual dysfunction. It impairs the quality of life of patients and complicates the management of motor symptoms. Evidence available to treat complications is low. Our aim is to review the pathophysiology and clinical features of autonomic dysfunction in Parkinson's disease and provide a practical approach to handling the available evidence.

INTRODUCTION. The cognitive disorders in Parkinson's disease (PD) have traditionally been associated with the presence of dementia in later stages of the disease. Recent studies, however, consider that cognitive impairment can appear as of early stages. Knowing the cognitive profile of PD furthers our understanding of the clinical phenotype, making it easier to reach a timely diagnosis and favouring intervention on the symptoms from the initial stages. AIM. To present a review of the literature on mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia associated with PD. DEVELOPMENT. Several studies report that patients with PD who have a prolonged time to progression develop dementia. Yet, there have also been reports claiming that, as of the early stages, patients can present subtle cognitive alterations known as MCI. The initial neuropsychological profile is mainly of a non-amnesic type, characterised by executive dysfunction, alterations affecting attention, operative memory deficit and faulty retrieval of information. When patients develop dementia, disorders will arise in the storage of information, in semantic fluency, and in visuospatial and visuoperceptual skills. Currently there are criteria available for diagnosing the MCI and dementia associated with PD, as well as valid reliable instruments for detecting those disorders. CONCLUSIONS. Cognitive symptoms are frequent in PD. From the initial stages of the disease onwards patients may present MCI that is mainly characterised by a fronto-subcortical cognitive profile, whereas dementia usually develops at later stages, when a pattern of posterior cortical cognitive disorder is also observed.

Familiarization to treadmill walking in unimpaired Parkinson's disease (PD) patients is assessed, across multiple treadmill walking sessions. Thirteen PD subjects were enrolled into the study (Eight were in a moderate stage of the disease, and 5 in an advanced stage). PD subjects attended a progressive program consisting of 12 sessions of 20 min. Walking speed, cadence, step length and coefficient of variation were assessed. ANOVA test were used to evaluate progression of disease and time influence over familiarization. PD Subjects baseline characteristics did not differ significantly between both groups and typical dependencies over progression of disease and velocity were found for cadence, step length and coefficient of variation. However, we showed that some PD subjects may require longer familiarization times and that familiarization is an adaptation process which involves parameters as velocity, cadence and gait stability. A better definition of familiarization to treadmill is needed since some parameters such as step length does not change significantly while others such as cadence, coefficient of variation and intraclass correlation coefficient does. Therefore familiarization to treadmill walking should remain on measures of velocity, cadence, reliability and variability. However, a bigger sample size is needed in order to improve the results of the present study.

Introduction: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in Parkinson's disease (PD) is safe and effective. Most series report stable long-term motor responses., Aim: To report the long-term outcome of STN-DBS in advanced stage PD patients at a Portuguese center., Patients and Methods: Motor status was evaluated before surgery ('off' medication and best 'on'), post-operatively, and at five years ('on' medication and stimulation) using UPDRS part III. Axial symptoms subscores were quantified. Disability was assessed with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Development of dementia was assessed at 6 months and five years post-DBS., Results: Of the 183 patients submitted to STN-DBS, 71 had completed 5 years of follow-up. Ten patients were not included: two died (cancer, myocardial infarction), five were lost to follow-up and three had their stimulation systems removed. Motor function improved by 78% and 66% postoperatively and at five years, respectively. There was improvement of axial symptoms postoperatively, with significant worsening at five years (p<0.001). mRS scores improved postoperatively, but declined at five years, although most patients (88.5%) remained ambulatory (mRS<4). One patient (1.6%) and 19 patients (31,2%) were demented at 6 months and 5 years, respectively. Patients who developed dementia were significantly older than non-demented patients (56.5±7.8 vs 63.7±5.9 years-old; p<0.001)., Conclusions: In this series STN-DBS proved its efficacy regarding motor symptom improvement even five years after the procedure. Deterioration of axial symptoms and disability, as well as new onset dementia were observed in this period, but the possible role of STN-DBS as a causative factor is yet to be defined.

Introduction: Many patients who have had Parkinson's disease (PD) for several years will present severe motor fluctuations and dyskinesias which require more aggressive therapies. The different approaches which are now available include deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus or medial globus pallidus, subcutaneous infusion of apomorphine, and intestinal infusion of levodopa-carbidopa., Objective: To define the indications and results for the 3 available therapies for advanced PD., Development: Exhaustive review of the literature concerning the indications and results of deep brain stimulation, subcutaneous apomorphine infusion and duodenal infusion of levodopa/carbidopa gel to treat patients with advanced Parkinson disease., Conclusions: Although numerous studies have confirmed the efficacy of the 3 different therapies in advanced PD, there are no comparative studies that would allow us to define the best candidate for each technique., (Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: A large percentage of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) develop motor fluctuations, dyskinesias, and severe non-motor symptoms within 3 to 5 years of starting dopaminergic therapy, and these motor complications are refractory to treatment. Several authors refer to this stage of the disease as advanced Parkinson's disease., Objective: To define the clinical manifestations of advanced PD and the risk factors for reaching this stage of the disease., Development: This consensus document has been prepared by using an exhaustive literature search and by discussion of the contents by an expert group on movement disorders of the Sociedad Española de Neurología (Spanish Neurology Society), coordinated by two of the authors (JK and MRL)., Conclusions: Severe motor fluctuations and dyskinesias, axial motor symptoms resistant to levodopa, and cognitive decline are the main signs in the clinical phenotype of advanced PD., (Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Background: Ablative procedures are still frequent for the surgical treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Although the P300 component has been used to assess cognitive changes induced by levodopa and deep brain stimulation (DBS), the effects caused by unilateral pallidotomy remain unknown., Material and Methods: P300 amplitude and latency in 10 PD patients who underwent unilateral pallidotomy with and without levodopa treatment were compared with 10 healthy controls. Measurements in patients were performed 6 months before and after surgery while only once in controls, throughout the 6-month lapse between the comparative measurements performed in patients., Results: Statistical differences in P300 amplitude and latency were found between the control and PD groups (p < 0.001). On the other hand, there were no differences between the groups with the use of the levodopa treatment or surgery., Discussion: Lack of statistically significant results after six months of pallidotomy or treatment with levodopa suggests an absence of cognitive impairment. Our results obtained with P300 in which safety of surgical treatment has been assessed in PD are consistent with those of other procedures, such as DBS.

More than one third of patients with Parkinson disease experience freezing. It is characterized by the feeling that one's feet are "glued to the floor", and it is more common in the later stages of the disease. The causes of this gait disorder are not yet fully established, but it may lead patients to suffer falls and lose their independence. As a consequence, the development of therapeutic measures which can overcome freezing is of fundamental important for the autonomy of such individuals. There is no consensus in the literature on the most recommended therapeutic measures for the prevention or attenuation of freezing in gait. What seems to be defined are the phenomenological aspects of the disorder and good therapy, represented by the association between drug therapy and sensorial stimuli or motor coordination training geared towards the specificities to avoid motor difficulties of freezing, when triggering factors are present.

Objective: To evaluate orthostatic blood pressure response in patients with early Parkinson's disease and mild to moderate disease treated at the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery., Method: A cross-sectional study with control group was carried out. Patients with Parkinson's disease with a disease duration of less than 5 years and mild to moderate severity along with healthy controls of the same age group were included. Those subjects with diabetes mellitus, hypertension or diagnosis of dysautonomia were excluded. Blood pressure was measured in supine position as well as after 3 and 5 min of standing., Results: Seventy subjects with Parkinson's disease and 145 controls were included. There were no statistically significant differences in gender and age between both groups. There was no difference in systolic blood pressure change between groups at 3 minutes but at 5 minutes a statistically significant difference was found (P=.03). For diastolic blood pressure a difference between both groups was present at three and five minutes (P=.02 and P=.007)., Conclusion: Patients with early Parkinson's disease have differences in orthostatic responses compared to healthy controls, these differences are more relevant at 5 minutes of standing., (Copyright © 2012 Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.)

In recent years we have witnessed a growing tendency to opt for the use of dopamine agonists (DA) as treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD), with the aim of delaying as far as possible the development of fluctuations and dyskinesias. Yet, levodopa continues to be the most effective antiparkinson drug and is probably the one that improves the greatest number of symptoms of the disease. This article reports on the results of a comprehensive review of the literature dealing with the benefits and risks of levodopa treatment in patients with PD which was conducted by a group of expert neurologists and members of the Spanish Neurology Society's Movement Disorder Group. The main conclusion reached in this article is that levodopa continues to be the most effective treatment for PD. Although the risk and incidence of developing dyskinesias remains at a lower level in the group initially treated with DA, the number of patients who develop disabling dyskinesias is very low in all the studies and is similar for DA and for levodopa. Scores on the quality of life scales are also similar in the two groups, which casts some doubt on the impact that these motor complications have on the quality of life of patients with PD. In view of these findings, we should consider whether there is any real justification for depriving patients of the good control of their symptoms offered by levodopa owing to the fear of developing dyskinesias or mild motor fluctuations that are not really going to have any negative effect on their quality of life. There is also the possibility of their developing severe side effects, which are more frequent with the use of DA.

Introduction: There is now growing evidence that essential tremor and Parkinson's disease are related., Aim: To present the main findings from epidemiologic, genetic, clinical, imaging and pathologic studies, contrasting evidences for and against an association between essential tremor and Parkinson's disease., Development: We include a complete update of the latest findings regarding the overlap between these two disorders. There is current evidence that a history of essential tremor may herald the onset of Parkinson's disease in a subset of patients. Furthermore, the fact that the risk of essential tremor is significantly increased in relatives of patients with Parkinson's disease suggests the possibility that both conditions are genetically related, probably sharing common hereditary predisposition. Dopaminergic deficit among essential tremor patients in functional imaging studies and recent pathological studies describing Lewy bodies in some essential tremor patients, support further evidence for an overlap between both conditions, at least in a subset of patients., Conclusion: The convergence of all the reviewed data suggests the possible existence of a mixed essential tremor-Parkinson's disease phenotype in some patients. However, further studies are needed to better understand this phenotype.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative movement disorder that results primarily from the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. However, other neurotransmitter systems (noradrenergic,cholinergic and serotoninergic) are also involved in the disease. On the other hand, there is increasing evidence for a role of histamine as a neuromodulator in the mammalian central nervous system. Histamine-releasing neurons are exclusively located in the tuberomammilary nucleus of the hypothalamus, project to all major areas of the brain and participate in functions such as the regulation of sleep/wakefulness, locomotor activity, autonomic and vestibular functions, feeding and drinking, analgesia, learning and memory. In this work we review the pathophysiological characteristics of Parkinson's disease and the emerging information about alterations in histaminergic transmission reported for parkinsonian patients and animal models of the disease. In particular, we focus on the role of histamine H3 receptors, expressed at high density in the basal ganglia, in the normal function of these nuclei and their possible participation in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: Emotional facial expression is a basic guide during social interaction and, therefore, alterations in their expression or recognition are important limitations for communication., Aim: To examine facial expression recognition abilities and their possible impairment in Parkinson's disease., Development: First, we review the studies on this topic which have not found entirely similar results. Second, we analyze the factors that may explain these discrepancies and, in particular, as third objective, we consider the relationship between emotional recognition problems and cognitive impairment associated with the disease. Finally, we propose alternatives strategies for the development of studies that could clarify the state of these abilities in Parkinson's disease., Conclusions: Most studies suggest deficits in facial expression recognition, especially in those with negative emotional content. However, it is possible that these alterations are related to those that also appear in the course of the disease in other perceptual and executive processes. To advance in this issue, we consider necessary to design emotional recognition studies implicating differentially the executive or visuospatial processes, and/or contrasting cognitive abilities with facial expressions and non emotional stimuli. The precision of the status of these abilities, as well as increase our knowledge of the functional consequences of the characteristic brain damage in the disease, may indicate if we should pay special attention in their rehabilitation inside the programs implemented.