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 Slow Motion Analysis of Repetitive Tapping (SMART) test: measuring bradykinesia in recently diagnosed Parkinson’s disease and idiopathic anosmia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Simonet ◽  
MA. Galmes ◽  
C. Lambert ◽  
RN. Rees ◽  
T. Haque ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Rating Scales ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Motor Dysfunction ◽  
Finger Tapping ◽  
Prodromal Phase ◽  
Floor Effect ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Early Stages

ABSTRACTBackgroundBradykinesia 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.ObjectivesTo develop a quantitative method to track repetitive finger tapping movements and to compare people in the early stages of PD, healthy controls, and individuals with idiopathic anosmia.MethodsThis 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. Three parameters were extracted from videos: amplitude between fingers, frequency (number of taps per second), and velocity (distance travelled per second). Clinical assessment was based on the motor section of MDS-UPDRS.ResultsPeople in the early stage of PD performed the task with slower velocity (p<0.001) and with greater decrement in frequency than controls (p=0.003). The combination of slower velocity and greater decrement in frequency 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.ConclusionsWe present a new simple 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 be important indication of the prodromal phase of PD.

Gender and Age Difference in Clinical Features and severity of Parkinson’s Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern Morocco

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abderrahmane Achbani ◽  
Sofiane Ait Wahmane ◽  
Mohamed Elatiqi ◽  
Hasnaa Sine ◽  
Ahmed Kharbach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Age Difference ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
Initial Symptoms ◽  
Yahr Scale

Background: Parkinson’s disease is the second most frequently reported neurodegenerative disease, behind Alzheimer’s disease. In Morocco, enough information are not available about its prevalence, progression, and characteristics, particularly in Southern regions of the country. Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate gender and age differences in the sociodemographic and clinical profile of Parkinson’s disease patients in southern Morocco. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on a selected cohort of 180 patients, previously diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Results: The results showed that the onset of the disease was earlier in females compared to males. Besides, we found that the prevalence of rigidity symptoms was slightly higher in younger patients and in patients aged 61 to 70 years old, at the onset of the disease. Importantly, the results showed that the initial symptoms of males were different than females. According to the Hoehn and Yahr scale, the majority (82.6%) of patients of both genders were in the early stage of the disease. Additional statistical analyses, confirmed that the severity of the disease was strongly related to gender (P = 0.02). Conclusions: The findings confirmed that males and females had different clinical motor characteristics in the initial symptoms and progression of Parkinson’s disease. Nevertheless, experimental studies should be conducted to arrive at a real understanding of what underlies these differences.

scholarly journals Alterations in striato-thalamo-pallidal intrinsic functional connectivity as a prodrome of Parkinson’s disease

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eran Dayan ◽  
Nina Browner
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Rem Sleep Behavior Disorder ◽  
Behavior Disorder ◽  
Motor Dysfunction ◽  
Prodromal Phase ◽  
Sleep Behavior ◽  
Functional Connections ◽  
Input And Output

AbstractAlthough the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) remains anchored around the cardinal motor symptoms of bradykinesia, rest tremor, rigidity and postural instability, it is becoming increasingly clear that the clinical phase of the disease is preceded by a long period of neurodegeneration, which is not readily evident in terms of motor dysfunction. The neurobiological mechanisms that underpin this prodromal phase of PD remain poorly understood. Based on converging evidence of basal ganglia (BG) dysfunction in early PD, we set out to establish whether the prodromal phase of the disease is characterized by alterations in functional communication within the input and output structures of the BG. We analyzed resting-state functional MRI data collected from patients with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and/or hyposmia, two of the strongest markers of prodromal PD, in comparison to age-matched controls. Relative to controls, subjects in the prodromal group showed reduced intra- and interhemispheric functional connectivity in a striato-thalamo-pallidal network. Functional connectivity alterations were restricted to the BG and did not extend to functional connections with the cortex. The data suggest that local interactions between input and output BG structures may be disrupted already in the prodromal phase of PD.

scholarly journals Alpha-Synuclein as a Biomarker of Parkinson’s Disease: Good, but Not Good Enough

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Upasana Ganguly ◽  
Sukhpal Singh ◽  
Soumya Pal ◽  
Suvarna Prasad ◽  
Bimal K. Agrawal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Movement Disorders ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Motor Impairment ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Alpha Synuclein ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Peripheral Tissues

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder of the elderly, presenting primarily with symptoms of motor impairment. The disease is diagnosed most commonly by clinical examination with a great degree of accuracy in specialized centers. However, in some cases, non-classical presentations occur when it may be difficult to distinguish the disease from other types of degenerative or non-degenerative movement disorders with overlapping symptoms. The diagnostic difficulty may also arise in patients at the early stage of PD. Thus, a biomarker could help clinicians circumvent such problems and help them monitor the improvement in disease pathology during anti-parkinsonian drug trials. This review first provides a brief overview of PD, emphasizing, in the process, the important role of α-synuclein in the pathogenesis of the disease. Various attempts made by the researchers to develop imaging, genetic, and various biochemical biomarkers for PD are then briefly reviewed to point out the absence of a definitive biomarker for this disorder. In view of the overwhelming importance of α-synuclein in the pathogenesis, a detailed analysis is then made of various studies to establish the biomarker potential of this protein in PD; these studies measured total α-synuclein, oligomeric, and post-translationally modified forms of α-synuclein in cerebrospinal fluid, blood (plasma, serum, erythrocytes, and circulating neuron-specific extracellular vesicles) and saliva in combination with certain other proteins. Multiple studies also examined the accumulation of α-synuclein in various forms in PD in the neural elements in the gut, submandibular glands, skin, and the retina. The measurements of the levels of certain forms of α-synuclein in some of these body fluids or their components or peripheral tissues hold a significant promise in establishing α-synuclein as a definitive biomarker for PD. However, many methodological issues related to detection and quantification of α-synuclein have to be resolved, and larger cross-sectional and follow-up studies with controls and patients of PD, parkinsonian disorders, and non-parkinsonian movement disorders are to be undertaken.

scholarly journals Relationship between Cognitive Performance and Motor Dysfunction in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease: A Pilot Cross-Sectional Study

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Varalta ◽  
Alessandro Picelli ◽  
Cristina Fonte ◽  
Stefania Amato ◽  
Camilla Melotti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Functional Mobility ◽  
Motor Dysfunction ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Dual Task Condition ◽  
Walking Test

The aim of this pilot cross-sectional study was to extensively investigate the relationships between cognitive performance and motor dysfunction involving balance and gait ability in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Twenty subjects with Parkinson’s disease underwent a cognitive (outcomes: Frontal Assessment Battery-Italian version, Montreal overall Cognitive Assessment, Trail Making Test, Semantic Verbal Fluency Test, and Memory with Interference Test) and motor (outcomes: Berg Balance Scale, 10-Meter Walking Test, 6-Minute Walking Test, Timed Up and Go Test performed also under dual task condition, and Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale) assessment. Our correlation analyses showed that balance skills are significantly correlated with executive functions, cognitive impairment, and ability to switch attention between two tasks. Furthermore, functional mobility showed a significant correlation with cognitive impairment, verbal fluency, and ability to switch attention between two tasks. In addition, the functional mobility evaluated under the dual task condition showed a significant correlation with cognitive impairment and ability to switch attention between two tasks. These findings might help early identification of cognitive deficits or motor dysfunctions in patients with Parkinson’s disease who may benefit from rehabilitative strategies. Future prospective larger-scale studies are needed to strengthen our results.

scholarly journals Premature cognitive decline in specific domains found in young veterans with mTBI coincide with elder normative scores and advanced-age subjects with early-stage Parkinson’s disease

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0258851
Author(s):  
Vicki A. Nejtek ◽  
Rachael N. James ◽  
Michael F. Salvatore ◽  
Helene M. Alphonso ◽  
Gary W. Boehm
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Cognitive Tests ◽  
Post Injury ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Cognitive Domains ◽  
Increased Risk

Importance Epidemiologists report a 56% increased risk of veterans with (+) mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) developing Parkinson’s disease (PD) within 12-years post-injury. The most relevant contributors to this high risk of PD in veterans (+) mTBI is unknown. As cognitive problems often precede PD diagnosis, identifying specific domains most involved with mTBI-related PD onset is critical. Objectives To discern which cognitive domains underlie the mTBI-PD risk relationship proposed in epidemiology studies. Design and setting This exploratory match-controlled, cross-sectional study was conducted in a medical school laboratory from 2017–2020. Participants Age- and IQ-matched veterans with (+) and without mTBI, non-veteran healthy controls, and IQ-matched non-demented early-stage PD were compared. Chronic neurological, unremitted/debilitating diseases, disorders, dementia, and substance use among others were excluded. Exposure Veterans were or were not exposed to non-penetrating combat-related mTBI occurring within the past 7-years. No other groups had recent military service or mTBI. Main outcomes / measures Cognitive flexibility, attention, memory, visuospatial ability, and verbal fluency were examined with well-known standardized neuropsychological assessments. Results Out of 200 volunteers, 114 provided evaluable data. Groups significantly differed on cognitive tests [F (21,299) = 3.09, p<0.0001]. Post hoc tests showed veterans (+) mTBI performed significantly worse than matched-control groups on four out of eight cognitive tests (range: p = .009 to .049), and more often than not performed comparably to early-stage PD (range: p = .749 to .140). Conclusions and relevance We found subtle, premature cognitive decline occurring in very specific cognitive domains in veterans (+) mTBI that would typically be overlooked in a clinic setting, This result potentially puts them at-risk for continual cognitive decline that may portend to the eventual onset of PD or some other neurodegenerative disease.

EFFECTS OF ELECTROCONVULSIVE STIMULATION IN RATS WITH 6-OHDA INDUCED HEMIPARKINSONISM

2020 ◽  
pp. 184-186
Author(s):  
Ya. Zorkina ◽  
E. Zubkov ◽  
A. Morozova ◽  
O. Abramova ◽  
O. Karimova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Older People ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Motor Impairments ◽  
Disease Pathogenesis ◽  
Prodromal Phase ◽  
Neurodegenerative Pathology ◽  
Electroconvulsive Stimulation

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative pathology after Alzheimer's disease, affecting mainly older people (1). The first stage of Parkinson's disease pathogenesis is the prodromal phase, which characterized by absence of motor impairments, but development of depression in numerous cases. To improve the course of the disease, it is important to diagnose and start treatment with early stage.

scholarly journals Hybrid PET-MRI for early detection of dopaminergic dysfunction and microstructural degradation involved in Parkinson’s disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Song’an Shang ◽  
Daixin Li ◽  
Youyong Tian ◽  
Rushuai Li ◽  
Hongdong Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Mean Diffusivity ◽  
Standardized Uptake Value ◽  
Motor Dysfunction ◽  
Nigrostriatal Pathway ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
Microstructural Degradation ◽  
Dopaminergic Dysfunction

AbstractDopamine depletion and microstructural degradation underlie the neurodegenerative processes in Parkinson’s disease (PD). To explore early alterations and underlying associations of dopamine and microstructure in PD patients utilizing the hybrid positron emission tomography (PET)-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Twenty-five PD patients in early stages and twenty-four matched healthy controls underwent hybrid 18F-fluorodopa (DOPA) PET-diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scanning. The striatal standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR), DTI maps (fractional anisotropy, FA; mean diffusivity, MD) in subcortical grey matter, and deterministic tractography of the nigrostriatal pathway were processed. Values in more affected (MA) side, less affected (LA) side and mean were analysed. Correlations and mediations among PET, DTI and clinical characteristics were further analysed. PD groups exhibited asymmetric pattern of dopaminergic dysfunction in putamen, impaired integrity in the microstructures (nigral FA, putaminal MD, and FA of nigrostriatal projection). On MA side, significant associations between DTI metrics (nigral FA, putaminal MD, and FA of nigrostriatal projection) and motor performance were significantly mediated by putaminal SUVR, respectively. Early asymmetric disruptions in putaminal dopamine concentrations and nigrostriatal pathway microstructure were detected using hybrid PET-MRI. The findings further implied that molecular degeneration mediates the modulation of microstructural disorganization on motor dysfunction in the early stages of PD.

scholarly journals Identification of Blood-based Biomarkers for Early Stage Parkinson’s Disease

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Gao
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Substantia Nigra ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
Cellular Response ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Differentially Expressed ◽  
Motor Symptoms ◽  
Early Stages

AbstractParkinson’s disease (PD) affects millions of people worldwide and causes symptoms such as bradykinesia and disrupted speech. Parkinson’s disease is known to be characterized by the mass death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra region. In the status quo, PD is often diagnosed at late stages because obvious motor symptoms appear after the disease has progressed far. It is advantageous to diagnose PD before the onset of motor symptoms because treatments are often more effective at early stages. While motor symptoms usually manifest when over 50% of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra are already lost, molecular signatures of PD may be present at early stages in patient blood. This study aimed to analyze several gene expression studies’ data for commonly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the blood of early stage PD patients. 147 DEGs were identified in at least two out of three datasets and passed cut-off criteria. A protein interaction network for the DEGs was constructed and various tools were used to identify network characteristics and hub genes. PANTHER analysis revealed that the biological process “cellular response to glucagon stimulus” was overrepresented by almost 21 times among the DEGs and “lymphocyte differentiation” by 5.98 times. Protein catabolic processes and protein kinase functions were also overrepresented. ESR1, CD19, SMAD3, FOS, CXCR5, and PRKACA may be potential biomarkers and warrant further study. Overall, the findings of the present study provide insights on molecular mechanisms of PD and provide greater confidence on which genes are differentially expressed in PD. The results also are additional evidence for the role of the immune system in PD, a topic that is gaining interest in the PD research community.

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