scholarly journals On the Emergence of Tremor in Prodromal Parkinson’s Disease

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Conor Fearon ◽  
Andrew J. Lees ◽  
John J. McKinley ◽  
Allan McCarthy ◽  
Shane Smyth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Reticular Formation ◽  
Disease Process ◽  
Locus Ceruleus ◽  
Bladder Function ◽  
Motor Nucleus ◽  
Prodromal Phase ◽  
Brainstem Nuclei ◽  
Clinical Clue

Clinical, neuropathological and neuroimaging research suggests that pathological changes in Parkinson’s disease (PD) start many years before the emergence of motor signs. Since disease-modifying treatments are likely to be most effective when initiated early in the disease process, there has been significant interest in characterizing prodromal PD. Some people with PD describe autonomic symptoms at the time of diagnosis suggesting that autonomic dysfunction is a common feature of prodromal PD. Furthermore, subtle motor signs may be present and emerge prior to the time of diagnosis. We present a series of patients who, in the prodromal phase of PD, experienced the emergence of tremor initially only while yawning or straining at stool and discuss how early involvement of autonomic brainstem nuclei could lead to these previously unreported phenomena. The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) plays a central role in autonomic control including bowel/bladder function, cardiovascular homeostasis and yawning and innervates multiple brainstem nuclei involved in autonomic functions (including brainstem reticular formation, locus ceruleus, dorsal raphe nucleus and motor nucleus of the vagus). The PVN is affected in PD and evidence from related phenomena suggest that the PVN could increase tremor either by increasing downstream cholinergic activity on brainstem nuclei such as the reticular formation or by stimulating the locus ceruleus to activate the cerebellothalamocortical network via the ventrolateral nucleus of the thalamus. Aberrant cholinergic/noradrenergic transmission between these brainstem nuclei early in PD couldlead to tremor before the emergence of other parkinsonian signs, representing an early clinical clue to prodromal PD.

scholarly journals New awakenings: current understanding of sleep dysfunction and its treatment in Parkinson’s disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 267 (1) ◽  
pp. 288-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsay H. M. Keir ◽  
David P. Breen
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Sleep Disorders ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Disease Process ◽  
Underlying Disease ◽  
Prodromal Phase ◽  
Waste Products ◽  
New Treatment

AbstractThe non-motor features of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are increasingly being recognised. This review deals with the spectrum of sleep disorders associated with PD, which have a multifactorial aetiology and can significantly have an impact on the quality of life of patients and their carers. Some sleep disorders represent a prodromal phase of PD, with REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) being of particular interest in this regard, whereas others become more common as the disease advances. Understanding the pathophysiology of these sleep disturbances will hopefully lead to new treatment opportunities in the future. The recent discovery of the glymphatic system for removal of waste products from the brain has also raised the possibility that sleep disruption may cause or accelerate the underlying disease process.

scholarly journals High-resolution ultrasound changes of the vagus nerve in idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD): a possible additional index of disease

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Sartucci ◽  
T. Bocci ◽  
M. Santin ◽  
P. Bongioanni ◽  
G. Orlandi
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Imaging Modality ◽  
Disease Stage ◽  
Motor Nucleus ◽  
Idiopathic Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Additional Index

Abstract Background and rationale Histopathological studies revealed degeneration of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve (VN) early in the course of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD). Degeneration of VN axons should be detectable by high-resolution ultrasound (HRUS) as a thinning of the nerve trunk. In order to establish if the VN exhibits sonographic signs of atrophy in IPD, we examined patients with IPD compared with age-matched controls. Material and methods We measured the caliber (cross-sectional area, CSA) and perimeter of the VN in 20 outpatients with IPD (8 females and 12 males; mean age 73.0 + 8.6 years) and in age-matched controls using HRUS. Evaluation was performed by blinded raters using an Esaote MyLab Gamma device in conventional B-Mode with an 8–19 MHz probe. Results In both sides, the VN CSA was significantly smaller in IPD outpatients than in controls (right 2.37 + 0.91, left 1.87 + 1.35 mm2 versus 6.0 + 1.33, 5.6 + 1.26 mm2; p <0.001), as well as the perimeter (right 5.06 + 0.85, left 4.78 + 1.74 mm versus 8.87 + 0.86, 8.58 + 0.97 mm; p <0.001). There were no significant correlations between VN CSA and age, the Hoehn and Yahr scale, L-dopa therapy, and disease duration. Conclusion Our findings provide evidence of atrophy of the VNs in IPD patients by HRUS. Moreover, HRUS of the VN represent a non-invasive easy imaging modality of screening in IPD patients independent of disease stage and duration and an interesting possible additional index of disease.

scholarly journals Slow Motion Analysis of Repetitive Tapping (SMART) Test: Measuring Bradykinesia in Recently Diagnosed Parkinson’s Disease and Idiopathic Anosmia

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Cristina Simonet ◽  
Miquel A. Galmes ◽  
Christian Lambert ◽  
Richard N. Rees ◽  
Tahrina Haque ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Rating Scales ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Slow Motion ◽  
Motor Dysfunction ◽  
Prodromal Phase ◽  
Floor Effect ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Early Stages

Background: Bradykinesia is the defining motor feature of Parkinson’s disease (PD). There are limitations to its assessment using standard clinical rating scales, especially in the early stages of PD when a floor effect may be observed. Objective: To develop a quantitative method to track repetitive tapping movements and to compare people in the early stages of PD, healthy controls, and individuals with idiopathic anosmia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 99 participants (early-stage PD = 26, controls = 64, idiopathic anosmia = 9). For each participant, repetitive finger tapping was recorded over 20 seconds using a smartphone at 240 frames per second. From each video, amplitude between fingers, frequency (number of taps per second), and velocity (distance travelled per second) was extracted. Clinical assessment was based on the motor section of the MDS-UPDRS. Results: People in the early stage of PD performed the task with slower velocity (p <  0.001) and with greater frequency slope than controls (p = 0.003). The combination of reduced velocity and greater frequency slope obtained the best accuracy to separate early-stage PD from controls based on metric thresholds alone (AUC = 0.88). Individuals with anosmia exhibited slower velocity (p = 0.001) and smaller amplitude (p <  0.001) compared with controls. Conclusion: We present a simple, proof-of-concept method to detect early motor dysfunction in PD. Mean tap velocity appeared to be the best parameter to differentiate patients with PD from controls. Patients with anosmia also showed detectable differences in motor performance compared with controls which may suggest that some are in the prodromal phase of PD.

scholarly journals Parkinson’s disease: evolution of cognitive impairment and CSF Aβ1–42 profiles in a prospective longitudinal study

2018 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie Lerche ◽  
Isabel Wurster ◽  
Benjamin Röben ◽  
Gerrit Machetanz ◽  
Milan Zimmermann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Disease Process ◽  
Amyloid Β ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Disease Evolution ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

ObjectiveTo evaluate the evolution of cognitive impairment in relation to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) profiles of amyloid-β (Aβ), total-Tau and phosphorylated-Tau in Parkinson’s disease (PD).MethodsProspective, longitudinal, observational study up to 10 years with follow-up every 2  years. We assessed CSF profiles in 415 patients with sporadic PD (median age 66; 63% men) and 142 healthy controls (median age 62; 43% men).ResultsPatients with PD with low CSF Aβ1–42 levels at baseline were more often cognitively impaired than patients with intermediate and high Aβ1–42 levels. Sixty-seven per cent of the patients with low Aβ1–42 levels at baseline and normal cognition developed cognitive impairment during follow-up, compared with 41% and 37% of patients having intermediate and high CSF Aβ1–42 levels. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression revealed that patients with low CSF Aβ1–42 levels at baseline developed cognitive impairment more frequently and earlier during follow-up.ConclusionWe conclude that in patients with sporadic PD, low levels of Aβ1–42 are associated with a higher risk of developing cognitive impairment earlier in the disease process at least in a subgroup of patients.

scholarly journals What Is the Evidence that Parkinson’s Disease Is a Prion Disorder, Which Originates in the Gut?

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 3573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Kujawska ◽  
Jadwiga Jodynis-Liebert
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Gastrointestinal Symptoms ◽  
Convincing Evidence ◽  
Substantia Nigra Pars Compacta ◽  
Motor Nucleus ◽  
The Brain

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder resulting from degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). PD is characterized by motor dysfunctions as well as gastrointestinal symptoms and mental impairment. The pathological hallmark of PD is an accumulation of misfolded α-synuclein aggregates within the brain. The etiology of PD and related synucleinopathy is poorly understood, but recently, the hypothesis that α-synuclein pathology spreads in a prion-like fashion originating in the gut has gained much scientific attention. A crucial clue was the appearance of constipation before the onset of motor symptoms, gut dysbiosis and synucleinopathy in PD patients. Another line of evidence, demonstrating accumulation of α-synuclein within the peripheral autonomic nervous system (PANS), including the enteric nervous system (ENS), and the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) support the concept that α-synuclein can spread from the ENS to the brain by the vagus nerve. The decreased risk of PD following truncal vagotomy supports this. The convincing evidence of the prion-like behavior of α-synuclein came from postmortem observations that pathological α-synuclein inclusions appeared in healthy grafted neurons. In this review, we summarize the available data from human subjects’ research and animal experiments, which seem to be the most suggestive for explaining the hypotheses.

scholarly journals Neurophysiology of the brain stem in Parkinson’s disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (5) ◽  
pp. 1856-1864 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia Bove ◽  
R. Alberto Travagli
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Neuronal Degeneration ◽  
Alternative Hypothesis ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Substantia Nigra Pars Compacta ◽  
Clinical Feature ◽  
Motor Nucleus ◽  
Gi Symptoms

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is predominantly idiopathic in origin, and a large body of evidence indicates that gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunctions are a significant comorbid clinical feature; these dysfunctions include dysphagia, nausea, delayed gastric emptying, and severe constipation, all of which occur commonly before the onset of the well-known motor symptoms of PD. Based on a distinct distribution pattern of Lewy bodies (LB) in the enteric nervous system (ENS) and in the preganglionic neurons of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV), and together with the early onset of GI symptoms, it was suggested that idiopathic PD begins in the ENS and spreads to the central nervous system (CNS), reaching the DMV and the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). These two areas are connected by a recently discovered monosynaptic nigro-vagal pathway, which is dysfunctional in rodent models of PD. An alternative hypothesis downplays the role of LB transport through the vagus nerve and proposes that PD pathology is governed by regional or cell-restricted factors as the leading cause of nigral neuronal degeneration. The purpose of this brief review is to summarize the neuronal electrophysiological findings in the SNpc and DMV in PD.

scholarly journals Alpha-Synuclein and LRRK2 in Synaptic Autophagy: Linking Early Dysfunction to Late-Stage Pathology in Parkinson’s Disease

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulia Lamonaca ◽  
Mattia Volta
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Late Stage ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Disease Process ◽  
Alpha Synuclein ◽  
Synaptic Activity ◽  
Early Event ◽  
Cellular Targets ◽  
Disease Modifying

The lack of effective disease-modifying strategies is the major unmet clinical need in Parkinson’s disease. Several experimental approaches have attempted to validate cellular targets and processes. Of these, autophagy has received considerable attention in the last 20 years due to its involvement in the clearance of pathologic protein aggregates and maintenance of neuronal homeostasis. However, this strategy mainly addresses a very late stage of the disease, when neuropathology and neurodegeneration have likely “tipped over the edge” and disease modification is extremely difficult. Very recently, autophagy has been demonstrated to modulate synaptic activity, a process distinct from its catabolic function. Abnormalities in synaptic transmission are an early event in neurodegeneration with Leucine-Rich Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2) and alpha-synuclein strongly implicated. In this review, we analyzed these processes separately and then discussed the unification of these biomolecular fields with the aim of reconstructing a potential “molecular timeline” of disease onset and progression. We postulate that the elucidation of these pathogenic mechanisms will form a critical basis for the design of novel, effective disease-modifying therapies that could be applied early in the disease process.

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