Upper Extremity Motor Learning among Individuals with Parkinson's Disease: A Meta-Analysis Evaluating Movement Time in Simple Tasks

Motor learning has been found to occur in the rehabilitation of individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Through repetitive structured practice of motor tasks, individuals show improved performance, confirming that motor learning has probably taken place. Although a number of studies have been completed evaluating motor learning in people with PD, the sample sizes were small and the improvements were variable. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine the ability of people with PD to learn motor tasks. Studies which measured movement time in upper extremity reaching tasks and met the inclusion criteria were included in the analysis. Results of the meta-analysis indicated that people with PD and neurologically healthy controls both demonstrated motor learning, characterized by a decrease in movement time during upper extremity movements. Movement time improvements were greater in the control group than in individuals with PD. These results support the findings that the practice of upper extremity reaching tasks is beneficial in reducing movement time in persons with PD and has important implications for rehabilitation.

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Cognitive speed in nondemented Parkinson's disease

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society ◽

10.1017/s1355617798466074 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 4 (6) ◽

pp. 584-592 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

MARCIA C. SMITH ◽

WILLIAM P. GOLDMAN ◽

KEVIN W. JANER ◽

JACK D. BATY ◽

JOHN C. MORRIS

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

Spatial Information ◽

Movement Time ◽

Control Group ◽

Memory Scanning ◽

Key Press ◽

Cognitive Slowing ◽

Cognitive Speed

Studies of speed of cognitive processing in Parkinson's disease (PD) have yielded mixed results. This may relate in part to a differential effect on cognitive speed by the type of information to be processed. In the present study, we compared medication fasted, nondemented individuals with mild idiopathic PD (N = 26) with age-matched controls (N = 12) on a test requiring easy and hard same–different discriminations for verbal, quantitative, and spatial information, as well as on a traditional memory scanning paradigm. A voice-activated relay rather than a key press was used to eliminate the need for limb and finger movements. Simple reaction time and movement time were also measured in a task requiring subjects to move a hand held stylus to a designated target. The PD group performed as fast as the control group across all tasks except movement time. Thus, in our paradigm, the presence of PD alone does not predict cognitive slowing in the presence of motor slowing. (JINS, 1998, 4, 584–592.)

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A non-contact system for the assessment of hand motor tasks in people with Parkinson’s disease

SN Applied Sciences ◽

10.1007/s42452-020-04001-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Fábio Henrique Monteiro Oliveira ◽

Daniel Fernandes da Cunha ◽

Amanda Gomes Rabelo ◽

Luiza Maire David Luiz ◽

Marcus Fraga Vieira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Hand Movement ◽

Electrical Potential ◽

Body Part ◽

The Body ◽

Control Group ◽

Motor Tasks ◽

Micro Machine ◽

Contact Sensors

AbstractClinical diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) motor symptoms remains a problem. Most of the current studies focus on objective evaluations to make the evaluation more reliable. Most of these systems are based on the use of inertial and electromyographic sensors that require contact with the body part being assessed. Contact sensors restrict natural movement, may be uncomfortable and may require preparation of the body, which may cause irritation. As an alternative to contact sensors for the study of hand motor tasks performed by subjects with and without PD, electrical potential sensing technology is used in this research. A custom hardware has been designed to enable data collection by hand movement. A micro-machine system validated the developed system, and a relationship model was established between hand displacement and non-contact capacitive (NCC) sensor response. An experiment was conducted, including 57 subjects, 30 with PD (experimental group) and 27 healthy control group, followed by an analysis of statistical features extracted from the instantaneous mean frequency (IMNF) of NCC sensor. These results were compared with those obtained from gyroscope signals that are considered in the field to be the gold standard. As a result, NCC responses were correlated linearly with hand displacement (R2 = 0.7692 and $${\text{R}}_{\text{adj}}^{2}$$ R adj 2 = 0.7631). The statistical evaluation of IMNF features showed, that both, contact and non-contact sensors, were able to discriminate movement patterns of the control group from the experimental one. The results confirm statistical similarity between features extracted from NCC and gyroscope signals.

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Dual-Task-Based Drum Playing with Rhythmic Cueing on Motor and Attention Control in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease: A Preliminary Randomized Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph181910095 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (19) ◽

pp. 10095

Author(s):

Jin-Kyoung Park ◽

Soo Ji Kim

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Motor Control ◽

Upper Extremity ◽

Dual Task ◽

Randomized Study ◽

Attention Control ◽

Control Group ◽

Latency Time ◽

Motor Movement

Although there have been increasing reports regarding the effectiveness of dual-task interventions in rehabilitation, the scope of this research is limited to gross motor movement, such as gait among patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). To expand the dual-task paradigm to upper extremity motor and attention control in PD, drum playing with modulation of musical elements was attempted. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a drum playing intervention with rhythmic cueing on upper extremity motor control and attention control in patients with PD. Twelve participants were randomly assigned to the drum playing intervention with rhythmic cueing group or the control group. The results showed that the drum playing with rhythmic cueing (DPRC) group significantly increased their sustained time of entrainment (45 BPM) and their latency time until entrainment from pretest to posttest. For the DPRC group, the latency time until entrainment was significantly improved, and improvements in cognitive measures were also found. This study shows that DPRC has great potential to improve upper extremity motor control and attention control and supports the development of new interventions that include this technique for rehabilitation in patients with PD.

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The Effect of Virtual Reality Rehabilitation on Balance in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Electronics ◽

10.3390/electronics10091003 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 1003

Author(s):

Wenjing Wang ◽

Sharon Sui-lam Wong ◽

Frank Ho-yin Lai

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Virtual Reality ◽

Dynamic Balance ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Control Group ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Comprehensive Search

As a popular method, virtual reality (VR) is still controversial in its effect on the balance function of patients with Parkinson’s disease. This systematic review aims to discuss such effects of VR and to compare it with that resulting from traditional therapies. A comprehensive search was conducted for randomized controlled trials published from 2000 to 2020 through the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane Library. Fifteen articles were included for the systematic review. An evaluation on their methodological qualities was performed using the PEDro scale, followed by an assessment of their risk of biases in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions for quality assessment. In terms of dynamic balance, the BBS score of the VR group was significantly improved when compared with the control group (SMD = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.31–0.73). However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups on TUG (SMD = −0.26; 95% CI = −0.62–0.1; p = 0.16). Besides, the VR group also showed better results in improving patients’ static balance, balance confidence, and quality of life. A funnel plot was created to investigate the effects of each study included in the meta-analysis in order to identify any existing publication bias. This systematic review shows that the application of VR leads to more significant improvement in the balance of patients with Parkinson’s disease than having them perform traditional exercises. It can be used as an auxiliary method of rehabilitation.

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Risk of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers and Parkinson’s Disease—Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13040587 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 587

Author(s):

Danuta Krasowska ◽

Agnieszka Gerkowicz ◽

Radosław Mlak ◽

Milena Leziak ◽

Teresa Małecka-Massalska ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Cell Carcinoma ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Control Group ◽

Skin Cancers ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Comprehensive Search ◽

Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers

Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have an increased risk of melanoma compared with the general population. Considering that Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers (NMSCs) share similar risk factors with melanoma, there is a need to understand a possible connection between PD and NMSCs. The aim of the study was the evaluation of NMSC risk among PD patients via meta-analysis and systematic review. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was conducted, including studies from January 2000 to April 2020. We identified 16 eligible studies including 140291 PD patients. Upon statistical analysis, a significantly higher risk of developing NMSCs in PD patients was found compared with the control group (odds ratio (OR) = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.17–1.33; p < 0.0001). Among all NMSCs, the risk of developing basal cell carcinoma in PD patients was significantly higher (OR = 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.15–1.47; p < 0.0001), contrary to squamous cell carcinoma. Further analysis revealed a significantly higher risk of developing NMSCs in patients with previously diagnosed PD (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.19–1.33; p < 0.0001). Our data suggest the necessity for regular skin examination of PD patients, though further studies are required to explore the mechanisms forming this relationship.

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Procedural Memory: Computer Learning in Control Subjects and in Parkinson’s Disease Patients

Behavioural Neurology ◽

10.1155/1996/659269 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 9 (3-4) ◽

pp. 127-134

Author(s):

C. Thomas-Antérion ◽

B. Laurent ◽

N. Foyatier-Michel ◽

S. Laporte ◽

D. Michel

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Procedural Memory ◽

Control Group ◽

Motor Tasks ◽

Learning Session ◽

Control Subjects ◽

Student’S T ◽

Better Than ◽

Student’S T Test

We used perceptual motor tasks involving the learning of mouse control by looking at a Macintosh computer screen. We studied 90 control subjects aged between sixteen and seventy-five years. There was a significant time difference between the scales of age but improvement was the same for all subjects. We also studied 24 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). We observed an influence of age and also of educational levels. The PD patients had difficulties of learning in all tests but they did not show differences in time when compared to the control group in the first learning session (Student's t-test). They learned two or four and a half times less well than the control group. In the first test, they had some difficulty in initiating the procedure and learned eight times less well than the control group. Performances seemed to be heterogeneous: patients with only tremor (seven) and patients without treatment (five) performed better than others but learned less. Success in procedural tasks for the PD group seemed to depend on the capacity to initiate the response and not on the development of an accurate strategy. Many questions still remain unanswered, and we have to study different kinds of implicit memory tasks to differentiate performance in control and basal ganglia groups.

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Oxidative stress-related biomarkers in Parkinson’s disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Iranian Journal of Neurology ◽

10.18502/ijnl.v17i3.373 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Zeba Khan ◽

Sharique Athar Ali

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Antioxidant Activity ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Random Effect Model ◽

Control Group ◽

Oxidative Stress Markers ◽

Stress Markers

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized with the loss of dopamine-producing neurons in a mid-brain. This loss is believed to be associated with number of environmental and genetic factors. Oxidative stress is found to be one of the factors responsible for the initiation and progression of PD. However, studies are still continued to confirm the connection and mechanism associated with oxidative stress and PD. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the association between oxidative stress markers and PD, and explore factors that may elucidate the contradictions in these results. As per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline systematic literature search was carried out. Meta-analysis was carried out on pooled standardized mean differences with 95% confidence interval (CI) of patients with PD and controls using random effect model in comprehensive meta-analysis statistical software. Total 17 studies were included into which 25 oxidative stress markers were analyzed. The results revealed that oxidative stress markers [nitrate and nitric oxide (NO)] and antioxidant markers [total antioxidant status (TAS) and thiols] were not statistically different between the PD and control group (P > 0.05). In case of oxidative stress markers, levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-Oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG), and lipid hydro-peroxide (LPO) were found to be high in patients with PD as compared to controls with P < 0.05, whereas lower levels of antioxidant activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were noticed in the PD group as compared to controls (P < 0.05 for all). From the results, it is concluded that patients with PD have high oxidative stress and lower antioxidant activity, and these studied biomarkers would be used as potential diagnostic tool to measure oxidative stress in patients with PD.

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Association between β2-Adrenoreceptor Medications and Risk of Parkinson’s Disease: A Meta-Analysis

Medicina ◽

10.3390/medicina57101006 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 57 (10) ◽

pp. 1006

Author(s):

Chu-Ling Chen ◽

Shu-Yi Wang ◽

Ta-Cheng Chen ◽

Chieh-Sen Chuang

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Dopaminergic Neurons ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Control Group ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Chronic Use

Background and Objective: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by an accumulation of Lewy bodies and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The treatment options currently available are only partly effective and fail to restore the lost dopaminergic neurons or slow the progression. β2-adrenoceptors (β2AR) are widely expressed in various human tissues and organs, regulate many important metabolic functions, and are targeted for treatment of various diseases. Studies have reported a link between chronic use of the β2AR antagonist propranolol and an increased risk of PD, and chronic use of β2AR agonists has been associated with a decreased risk of PD. We conducted a meta-analysis on the association between both β2AR agonist level and β2AR antagonist level and the risk of PD. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive electronic search was conducted on the databases of PubMed, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalKey from the start of each database until 30 June 2021. The objective was to identify prospective cohort and case–control studies that have reported on the association between β-adrenoceptor agonist level, antagonist level, and PD risk. Results: A meta-analysis of the data extracted from eight studies revealed that β2AR agonist use was associated with reduced PD risk (RR = 0.859, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.741–0.995. p = 0.043). Compared with the control group, β2AR antagonist use was associated with an increased risk of PD (RR = 1.490, 95% CI, 1.195 to 1.857. p < 0.005). Propranolol, a type of β2AR antagonist, was related to an increased risk of PD (RR = 2.820, 95% CI, 2.618 to 3.036. p < 0.005). Conclusions: In this meta-analysis, β2AR agonists were associated with a decreased risk of PD, and β2AR antagonists were related with an increased risk of PD. However, further studies with larger sample sizes and an evaluation of the long-term effects of varying dosages of medications are needed.

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