Altered Visual and Proprioceptive Spatial Perception in Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease

Difficulties in the integration of visual, vestibular, and somatosensory information in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) may alter perception of verticality. Accordingly, in this cross-sectional study, we analyzed PD patients’ ( n = 13) subjective visual vertical (SVV) and subjective haptic vertical (SHV) perceptions and compared them to those of healthy controls ( n = 14). We compared SVV and SHV findings among participants with PD, healthy controls, and cutoff points of normality based on prior research literature, using the parametric nonpaired t test (at p < .05) and Cohen’s d (at d > 0.8) to determine clinical relevance. We analyzed SVV with the bucket test and SHV with the rod rotations task in clockwise and counterclockwise directions. We calculated Pearson correlations to analyze the association between verticality tests and the most clinically affected body side. We calculated both the percentage of A-effect (expression of body tilt underestimation to the midline) and E-effect (expression of body tilt overestimation in the upright position). Individuals with PD showed greater variability in right SHV supination compared to the healthy control participants ( p = .002). There was greater clinical relevance in right (as opposed to left) SVV ( d = 0.83), right (as opposed to left) SHV pronation ( d = 0.91), and left (as opposed to right) SHV pronation ( d = 0.88). We observed a higher proportion of E-effect in individuals with PD. A significantly higher proportion of patients with PD, compared to patients in past literature, had right SHV pronation ( p = .001), left SHV pronation ( p = .023), right SHV supination ( p = .001), left SHV supination ( p = .046), and left SHV pronation ( p = .046). Thus, subjective visual and proprioceptive perception of verticality is altered in patients with PD, compared to individuals without PD.

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A Comparison of Pain between Parkinson’s Disease and Multiple System Atrophy: A Clinical Cross-Sectional Survey

Pain Research and Management ◽

10.1155/2019/3150306 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2019 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

He-Yang You ◽

Lei Wu ◽

Hai-Ting Yang ◽

Chen Yang ◽

Xiao-Ling Ding

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Multiple System Atrophy ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Disease Rating ◽

Vas Scores

Background. Pain is frequent in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Parkinson-plus syndrome. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, characteristics, therapy (especially the effect of dopaminergic therapy), and associated symptoms of pain in Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients. Methods. Seventy-one PD patients, sixty-five MSA patients, and forty age-matched healthy controls were enrolled and evaluated by using the German pain questionnaire and visual analogue scale (VAS). In addition, the influence of pain in PD patients on anxiety, depression, and the quality of life was assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39). Results. Compared to that of the healthy controls, the PD and MSA patients had a significantly higher presence of pain (P<0.01, P<0.01). PD patients had a higher presence of pain than MSA patients (P=0.007). No difference in VAS scores was observed between the PD and MSA patients (P=0.148). A total of 21 PD patients (42.85%) with pain and 13 MSA patients (43.33%) with pain received treatment. A total of 13 PD patients with pain and 6 MSA patients with pain had an improved pain intensity after using dopaminergic medication. The differences in the disease duration, Hoehn and Yahr stages, and scores on the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale motor score, HAD-D, HAD-A, and PDQ-39 were significant between the PD patients with and without pain. Conclusion. PD and MSA patients are prone to pain with insufficient treatment. Pain interventions should be provided as soon as possible to improve the patient’s life.

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Interference of functional dual-tasks on gait in untrained people with Parkinson’s disease and healthy controls: a cross-sectional study

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽

10.1186/s12891-020-03431-x ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Constanza San Martín Valenzuela ◽

Lirios Dueñas Moscardó ◽

Juan López-Pascual ◽

Pilar Serra-Añó ◽

José M. Tomás

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Dual Tasks ◽

Cross Sectional

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AETIONOMY, a Cross-Sectional Study Aimed at validating a new taxonomy of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Study design and subject characteristics

10.1101/19004804 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jean Christophe Corvol ◽

Sarah Bujac ◽

Stephanie Carvalho ◽

Bethan Clarke ◽

Jacqueline Marovac ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Medical Needs ◽

Skin Biopsies

AbstractBackgroundAlthough advances in the understanding of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) have led to improvements in classification and diagnosis and most importantly to new therapies, the unmet medical needs remain significant due to high treatment failure rates. The AETIONOMY project funded by the Innovative Medicine Initiative (IMI) aims at using multi-OMICs and bioinformatics to identify new classifications for NDDs based on common molecular pathophysiological mechanisms in view of improving the availability of personalised treatments.ObjectivesThe purpose of the AETIONOMY cross-sectional study is to validate novel patient classification criteria provided by these tools.MethodsThis was a European multi centre, cross-sectional, clinical study conducted at 6 sites in 3 countries. Standardised clinical data, biosamples from peripheral blood, cerebrospinal fluid, skin biopsies, and data from a multi-OMICs approach were collected in patients suffering from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, as well as healthy controls.ResultsFrom September 2015 to December 2017 a total of 421 participants were recruited including 95 Healthy Controls. Nearly 1,500 biological samples were collected. The study achieved its objective with respect to Parkinson’s disease (PD) recruitment, however it was unable to recruit many new Alzheimer Disease (AD) patients. Overall, data from 413 evaluable subjects (405 PD and 8 AD) are available for analysis. PD patients and controls were well matched with respect to age (mean 63.4 years), however, close gender matching was not achieved. Approximately half of all PD patients and one At-Risk subject were taking dopamine agonists; rates of Levodopa usage were slightly higher (∼60%). Median MDS-UPDRS Part III Scores (OFF state) ranged from 45 (SD 18) in those with Genetic PD to 2 (SD 3) in Healthy Controls. The standardised methodologies applied resulted in a high-quality database with very few missing data.ConclusionThis is one of the collaborative multi-OMICs studies in individuals suffering from PD and AD involving a control group. It is expected that the integration of data will provide new biomarker-led descriptions of clusters of patient subgroups.

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Platelet miRNA bio-signature discriminates between dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer disease

10.1101/2020.05.04.075713 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ana Gámez-Valero ◽

Jaume Campdelacreu ◽

Dolores Vilas ◽

Lourdes Ispierto ◽

Daniela Samaniego ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Dementia With Lewy Bodies ◽

Correct Diagnosis ◽

Lewy Bodies ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Disease Biomarkers

ABSTRACTDementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is one of the most common causes of degenerative dementia after Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and presents pathological and clinical overlap with both AD and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Consequently, only one in three DLB cases is diagnosed correctly. Platelets, previously related to neurodegeneration, contain microRNAs (miRNAs) whose analysis may provide disease biomarkers. Here, we profiled the whole platelet miRNA transcriptome from DLB patients and healthy controls. Differentially expressed miRNAs were further validated in three consecutive studies from 2017 to 2019 enrolling 162 individuals, including DLB, AD, and PD patients, and healthy controls. Results comprised a 7-miRNA biosignature, showing the highest diagnostic potential for the differentiation between DLB and AD. Additionally, compared to controls, two miRNAs were down-regulated in DLB, four miRNAs were up-regulated in AD, and two miRNAs were down-regulated in PD. Predictive target analysis identified three disease-specific clusters of pathways as a result of platelet-miRNA deregulation. Our cross-sectional study assesses the identification of a novel, highly specific and sensitive platelet-associated miRNA-based bio-signature, which distinguishes DLB from AD.The paper explainedProblemDementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) presents pathological and clinical overlap with both Alzheimer’s (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD), which impairs its correct diagnosis. Although numerous papers report peripheral biomarkers for AD, well-established biomarkers for DLB distinguishing it from AD are still missing. Platelet miRNA transcriptome was analyzed in several works, but their putative role as disease biomarkers for neurological disorders has not been assessed. It would be of paramount importance to establish a blood-based bio-signature as a minimally invasive mean for DLB diagnosis, improving differentiation of DLB patients from controls and AD.ResultsOur study revealed that platelet miRNAs might be promising biomarkers for the correct diagnosis of DLB stratifying patients in comparison with overlapping disorders, especially AD, and may help to highlight possible disease-related processes. In this cross-sectional study, which includes 162 individuals (DLB, AD, PD and healthy controls), platelet-associated miRNA content was disease group-specific. Three different miRNA sets together with their predicted targeted pathways were defined.ImpactThis study suggests that platelet miRNA may serve as DLB biomarker allowing the correct diagnosis and stratification in an easily-applied manner in clinical settings, and may help to highlight possible disease-related processes.

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Applicability of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) imaging in Parkinson’s disease

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-84862-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jost L. Lauermann ◽

Jan A. M. Sochurek ◽

Pauline Plöttner ◽

Florian Alten ◽

Meike Kasten ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Optical Coherence Tomography ◽

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography ◽

Motion Artifact ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Motion Artifacts ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Optical Coherence ◽

Cross Sectional

AbstractTo evaluate the significance of motion artifacts in optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and healthy controls. In this prospective, cross-sectional study subjects with medicated PD (ON) and healthy, age- and gender-matched volunteers were recruited. Participants underwent specific ophthalmological examinations, including OCTA. Angiograms of the superficial retinal capillary plexus were evaluated for the type and frequency of artifacts using a validated motion artifact score (MAS). A total of 30 PD patients (60 eyes), average disease duration of 9.61 ± 5.55 years, and 30 matched, healthy controls (60 eyes) were recruited. Twenty percent of all eyes had an eye disease, unknown to the participant, with a significant impact on OCTA results. After cleansing the dataset by excluding subjects with confounding ocular comorbidities 42 eyes of 28 PD patients and 53 eyes of 29 healthy controls were further evaluated. Overall MAS and all five subtypes of motion artifacts were comparable without significant differences between groups. OCTA can be used in treated PD patients (ON) without a significant increase in motion artifacts. Nevertheless, special attention should be paid to image quality during the acquisition of OCTA data, for which an experienced OCTA operator is useful.

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Muscle echo intensity of abdominal wall in Parkinson’s disease and healthy controls: a cross sectional study

Neurological Sciences ◽

10.1007/s10072-020-04440-3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (11) ◽

pp. 3201-3207

Author(s):

Luciano Bissolotti ◽

Janis Ruggeri ◽

Matteo Rota ◽

Stefano Calza ◽

Costantino Cosimo

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Abdominal Wall ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Echo Intensity ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

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Global efficiency of the motor network is decreased in Parkinson's disease in comparison with essential tremor and healthy controls

Brain and Behavior ◽

10.1002/brb3.2178 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Natalia Pelizari Novaes ◽

Joana Bisol Balardin ◽

Fabiana Campos Hirata ◽

Luciano Melo ◽

Edson Amaro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Essential Tremor ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Global Efficiency ◽

Motor Network

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Vestibular semicircular canal function as detected by video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) is essentially unchanged in people with Parkinson’s disease compared to healthy controls

Journal of Vestibular Research ◽

10.3233/ves-201626 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Kim E. Hawkins ◽

Elodie Chiarovano ◽

Serene S. Paul ◽

Ann M Burgess ◽

Hamish G. MacDougall ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Semicircular Canal ◽

Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽

Vestibular Function ◽

Head Impulse Test ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Video Head Impulse Test ◽

Head Impulse ◽

Vestibulo Ocular Reflex

BACKGROUND: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common multi-system neurodegenerative disorder with possible vestibular system dysfunction, but prior vestibular function test findings are equivocal. OBJECTIVE: To report and compare vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain as measured by the video head impulse test (vHIT) in participants with PD, including tremor dominant and postural instability/gait dysfunction phenotypes, with healthy controls (HC). METHODS: Forty participants with PD and 40 age- and gender-matched HC had their vestibular function assessed. Lateral and vertical semicircular canal VOR gains were measured with vHIT. VOR canal gains between PD participants and HC were compared with independent samples t-tests. Two distinct PD phenotypes were compared to HC using Tukey’s ANOVA. The relationship of VOR gain with PD duration, phenotype, severity and age were investigated using logistic regression. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between groups in vHIT VOR gain for lateral or vertical canals. There was no evidence of an effect of PD severity, phenotype or age on VOR gains in the PD group. CONCLUSION: The impulsive angular VOR pathways are not significantly affected by the pathophysiological changes associated with mild to moderate PD.

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Oral Factors That Impact the Oral Microbiota in Parkinson’s Disease

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9081616 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 1616

Author(s):

Natalia S. Rozas ◽

Gena D. Tribble ◽

Cameron B. Jeter

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Oral Health ◽

Soft Tissue ◽

Oral Hygiene ◽

Beta Diversity ◽

Oral Microbiota ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Salivary Ph

Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are at increased risk of aspiration pneumonia, their primary cause of death. Their oral microbiota differs from healthy controls, exacerbating this risk. Our goal was to explore if poor oral health, poor oral hygiene, and dysphagia status affect the oral microbiota composition of these patients. In this cross-sectional case-control study, the oral microbiota from hard and soft tissues of patients with PD (n = 30) and age-, gender-, and education-matched healthy controls (n = 30) was compared using 16S rRNA gene sequencing for bacterial identification. Study participants completed dietary, oral hygiene, drooling, and dysphagia questionnaires, and an oral health screening. Significant differences in soft tissue beta-diversity (p < 0.005) were found, and a higher abundance of opportunistic oral pathogens was detected in patients with PD. Factors that significantly influenced soft tissue beta-diversity and microbiota composition include dysphagia, drooling (both p < 0.05), and salivary pH (p < 0.005). Thus, patients with PD show significant differences in their oral microbiota compared to the controls, which may be due, in part, to dysphagia, drooling, and salivary pH. Understanding factors that alter their oral microbiota could lead to the development of diagnostic and treatment strategies that improve the quality of life and survivability of these patients.

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Development of standardized regression-based formulas to assess meaningful cognitive change in early Parkinson’s disease

Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology ◽

10.1093/arclin/acaa104 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hannah L Combs ◽

Kate A Wyman-Chick ◽

Lauren O Erickson ◽

Michele K York

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Test Scores ◽

Prediction Models ◽

Early Stage ◽

Cognitive Change ◽

Cognitive Test ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Change Over Time ◽

Over Time

Abstract Objective Longitudinal assessment of cognitive and emotional functioning in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) is helpful in tracking progression of the disease, developing treatment plans, evaluating outcomes, and educating patients and families. Determining whether change over time is meaningful in neurodegenerative conditions, such as PD, can be difficult as repeat assessment of neuropsychological functioning is impacted by factors outside of cognitive change. Regression-based prediction formulas are one method by which clinicians and researchers can determine whether an observed change is meaningful. The purpose of the current study was to develop and validate regression-based prediction models of cognitive and emotional test scores for participants with early-stage idiopathic PD and healthy controls (HC) enrolled in the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI). Methods Participants with de novo PD and HC were identified retrospectively from the PPMI archival database. Data from baseline testing and 12-month follow-up were utilized in this study. In total, 688 total participants were included in the present study (NPD = 508; NHC = 185). Subjects from both groups were randomly divided into development (70%) and validation (30%) subsets. Results Early-stage idiopathic PD patients and healthy controls were similar at baseline. Regression-based models were developed for all cognitive and self-report mood measures within both populations. Within the validation subset, the predicted and observed cognitive test scores did not significantly differ, except for semantic fluency. Conclusions The prediction models can serve as useful tools for researchers and clinicians to study clinically meaningful cognitive and mood change over time in PD.

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