scholarly journals Surgical Management of Parkinson’s Disease: The Role of Lesioning Procedures in Developing Countries in the Modern Era

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (B) ◽  
pp. 1241-1262
Author(s):  
Sameh Abdelbari ◽  
Hanan Abdallah Amer ◽  
Bassem Mohamed Ayoub ◽  
Ramy Kamel

BACKGROUND: The known loss of dopaminergic cells in the pars-compacta of the substantia nigra that is the hallmark of PD. The cellular pathophysiology of the motor dysfunction is beginning to be better understood, thereby providing a stronger scientific rationale for surgical interventions. Yet, to date, there are no treatments that prevent, halt, or cure PD. Surgical strategies, offer symptomatic relief or control of motor complications associated with drug treatment. Both pallidotomy and thalamotomy were extensively used in the treatment of PD in the1950’s and 1960’s. With the introduction of levodopa (L-dopa) in the1960’s and the realization of its striking benefits, surgery was almost abandoned and used only for patients with severe tremor. Surgical therapy is now being used earlier and more often. There are currently three brain regions being considered as targets for functional neurosurgery for PD (other than transplantation). Either CNS lesions (thalamotomy, pallidotomy or subthalamic nucleus lesions) or deep brain stimulation [DBS]. These targets are: The ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus (Vim), the internal segment of the Globus Pallidus (GPi) and the subthalamic nucleus (STN). OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcome (3 months & 6 months) of lesioning procedures in parkinson’s disease (PD) patients meeting the inclusion criteria. METHODS: A prospective clinical study conducted on 10 IPD patients during the period from October 2018 to March 2021 at Cairo University Hospitals. This study was concerned to improve the motor symptoms of IPD patients by stereotactic radiofrequency ablative procedures. Cases were restricted to 10 patients due to the Covid-19 pandemic and restriction of elective cases for chronic patients at Cairo University hospitals. RESULTS: In our study we operated upon 10 IPD patients who were meeting our selection criteria by ablative procedures contralateral to parkinsonian symptoms. Age of the patients ranged 17 – 70y with mean of 50.5 ± 16.35 y with predominance in males representing 6 patients. Mean duration of Parkinson`s disease according to history ranged from 2 to 12 y with mean of 8 ± 3.1 years. Patients were divided into three groups according to their presentation and the operation done for them. Thalamotomy group: Pre-operatively, the UPDRS III off & on respectively was 24.4/15.2 and post-operatively was 13/7.4 with improvement 47% / 51%. The tremor subscore was 5.4/2.8 pre-operatively and 1.4/0.8 post-operatively with average of 72% improvement. The UPDRS II pre was 17.2/11.6 and post it became 10.6/7 with 39% improvement. Modified H&Y 2.4/1.7 pre & post-operatively (29% improvement). Pallidotomy group: Pre-operatively, the UPDRS III off & on respectively was 38.5/23.5 and post-operatively was 28/16 with improvement 27% / 32%. The rigidity subscore was 5/2.5 pre-operatively and 2/1 post-operatively with average of 60% improvement. The bradykinesia subscore was 9/5.5 pre-operatively and 5.5/2.5 post-operatively with average of 47% improvement. The dyskinesia subscore was 4.5 pre-operatively and 1.2 post-operatively with average of 71% improvement. The UPDRS II pre was 22/12.5 and post it became 16/10 with 25% improvement. Modified H&Y 2.75/2.25 pre & post-operatively (18% improvement). Combined group: Pre-operatively, the UPDRS III off & on respectively was 41.33/28.67 and post-operatively was 15.67/11.33 with improvement 62% /60%. The rigidity subscore was 5/3.33 pre-operatively and 1.67/1 post-operatively with average of 68% improvement. The bradykinesia subscore was 10/6 pre-operatively and 4/1.33 post-operatively with average of 72% improvement. The UPDRS II pre was 28.33/19.33 and post it became 16.33/10.67 with 43% improvement. Modified H&Y 2.83/2 pre & post-operatively (29% improvement). Postoperatively, there was a high significant statistical finding in all clinical score and subscore of parkinsonian symptoms. CONCLUSION: The study concludes that lesioning procedure should be revisited globally using the modern techniques of targeting and controlled thermal lesion protocols guided by capsular somatotopy and intraoperative macroelectrode stimulation, that will improve the outcome dramatically. Ablative procedures proved their efficacy in controlling motor symptoms of IPD and their cost-benefit in low & middle-income nations.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Valentina Leta ◽  
Daniele Urso ◽  
Lucia Batzu ◽  
Daniel Weintraub ◽  
Nataliya Titova ◽  
...  

Background: Constipation is regarded as one of the prodromal features of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and there is emerging evidence linking gastrointestinal dysfunction and cognitive impairment (CI) in PD. Objective: We explored whether constipation is associated with development of CI in two independent cohorts of de novo PD patients (n = 196 from the Non-motor International Longitudinal Study [NILS] and n = 423 from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative [PPMI] study). Methods: Constipation was clinically defined using the Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS) item-21 [NILS] and Scales for Outcomes in PD-Autonomic (SCOPA-AUT) item-5 [PPMI]. We assessed baseline group differences (PD with or without constipation) in CI, global non-motor symptoms burden, motor dysfunction, and striatal dopaminergic denervation. Kaplan-Meier method estimated group differences in cumulative proportion of patients with incident CI over three years. In PPMI, we subsequently performed univariate and multivariate Cox survival analyses to evaluate whether constipation predicts incident mild cognitive impairment or dementia over a 6-year period, including constipation and other known predictors of CI as covariates. Results: Patients with constipation had greater motor and global non-motor burden in both cohorts at baseline (p <  0.05). Kaplan-Meier plots showed faster conversion to CI in patients with constipation in both cohorts (p <  0.05). In PPMI, 37 subjects developed dementia during a mean follow-up of 4.9 years, and constipation was an independent predictor of dementia onset (hazard ratio = 2.311; p = 0.02). Conclusion: Constipation in de novo PD patients is associated with development of cognitive decline and may serve as a clinical biomarker for identification of patients at risk for cognitive impairment.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 127-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeong-Yoon Lee ◽  
Ji Sun Kim ◽  
Wooyoung Jang ◽  
Jinse Park ◽  
Eungseok Oh ◽  
...  

Background: There are only few studies exploring the relationship between white matter lesions (WMLs) and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson disease (PD). This study aimed to investigate the association between WMLs and the severity of non-motor symptoms in PD. Methods: The severity of motor dysfunction, cognitive impairment, and non-motor symptoms was assessed by various scales in 105 PD patients. We used a visual semiquantitative rating scale and divided the subjects into four groups: no, mild, moderate, and severe WMLs. We compared the means of all scores between the four groups and analyzed the association between the severity of WMLs and the specific domain of non-motor symptoms. Results: The non-motor symptoms as assessed by the Non-Motor Symptoms Scale, Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39), Parkinson’s Disease Sleep Scale, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and Parkinson Fatigue Scale (PFS) were significantly worse in the patients with moderate and severe WMLs than in those without WMLs. Compared with the no WML group, the scores for motor dysfunction were significantly higher in the mild, moderate, and severe WML groups. The scores for cognitive dysfunction were significantly higher in the patients with severe WMLs than in those without WMLs. The severity of WMLs showed linear associations with PFS, BDI, BAI, NPI, and PDQ-39 scores. The severity of WMLs also correlated linearly with scores for motor and cognitive dysfunction. Conclusions: Among the non-motor symptoms, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and quality of life were significantly affected by WMLs in PD. Confirmation of the possible role of WMLs in non-motor symptoms associated with PD in a prospective manner may be crucial not only for understanding non-motor symptoms but also for the development of treatment strategies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 1661
Author(s):  
Caroline Xie ◽  
Asheeta A. Prasad

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurological disorder with motor dysfunction and a number of psychiatric symptoms. Symptoms such as anxiety and cognitive deficits emerge prior to motor symptoms and persist over time. There are limited treatments targeting PD psychiatric symptoms. Emerging studies reveal that the gut microbe is altered in PD patients. Here we assessed the effect of a probiotic treatment in a rat model of PD. We used the neurotoxin (6-hydroxydopamine, 6-OHDA) in a preclinical PD model to examine the impact of a probiotic treatment (Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HA-114) on anxiety and memory. Rats underwent either sham surgery or received 6-OHDA bilaterally into the striatum. Three weeks post-surgery, rats were divided into three experimental groups: a sham group that received probiotics, a 6-OHDA group that received probiotics, and the third group of 6-OHDA received the placebo formula. All rats had access to either placebo or probiotics formula for 6 weeks. All groups were assessed for anxiety-like behaviour using the elevated plus maze. Cognition was assessed for both non-hippocampal and hippocampal dependent tasks using the novel object recognition and novel place recognition. We report that the 6-OHDA lesion induced anxiety-like behaviour and deficits in hippocampal dependent cognition. Interestingly, the probiotics treatment had no impact on anxiety-like behaviour but selectively improved hippocampal dependent cognition deficits. Together, the results presented here highlight the utility of animal models in examining the neuropsychiatric symptoms of PD and the potential of probiotics as adjunctive treatment for non-motor symptoms of PD.


2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 260-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra Shenandoa Heluani ◽  
Fábio Henrique de Gobbi Porto ◽  
Sergio Listik ◽  
Alexandre Walter de Campos ◽  
Alexandre Aluizio Costa Machado ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been widely used to control motor symptoms and improve quality of life in patients with Parkinsons disease (PD). Recently, DBS in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has become the preferred target for patients with mixed motor symptoms. Despite resultant motor and quality of life improvements, the procedure has been associated with cognitive decline, mainly in language skills, and also with psychiatric symptoms. Objective: To evaluate the influence of DBS in the STN on cognition, mood and quality of life. Methods: We studied 20 patients with PD submitted to DBS in the STN from May 2008 to June 2012 with an extensive battery of cognitive tests including memory, language, praxis, executive functions and attention assessments; the Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (PDQ-39); and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD), were applied both before and after the surgery. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 17.0 and results compared using the paired Student's t test. Results: A total of 20 patients with pre and post-operative assessments were included. A statistically significant improvement was found in total score and on subscales of mobility, activities of daily living and emotional well-being from the PDQ-39 (P=0.009, 0.025, 0.001 and 0.034, respectively). No significant difference was found on the cognitive battery or mood scale. Conclusion: DBS in the SNT improved quality of life in PD with no negative impact on cognitive skills and mood.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Dursun Aygun ◽  
Ersoy Kocabicak ◽  
Onur Yildiz ◽  
Musa Kazim Onar ◽  
Hatice Guz ◽  
...  

In advanced Parkinson's disease (PD), deep brain stimulation (DBS) may be an alternative option for the treatment of motor symptoms. Side effects associated with subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS in patients with PD are emerging as the most frequent sensory and motor symptoms. DBS-related syncope is reported as extremely rare. We wanted to discuss the mechanisms of syncope associated with STN DBS in a patient with Parkinson's disease.Case report.Sixty-three-year-old female patient is followed up with diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease for 6 years in our clinic. The patient has undergone STN DBS due to painful dystonia and drug resistant tremor. During the operation, when the left STN was stimulated at 5 milliampere (mAmp), the patient developed presyncopal symptoms. However, when the stimulation was stopped symptoms improved. During the early period after the operation, when the right STN was stimulated at 1.3 millivolts (mV), she developed the pre-yncopal symptoms and then syncope. Our case shows that STN DBS may lead to directly autonomic symptoms resulting in syncope during stimulation-on (stim-on).


Author(s):  
Christopher F. Madelung ◽  
David Meder ◽  
Søren A. Fuglsang ◽  
Marta M. Marques ◽  
Vincent O. Boer ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundParkinson’s disease (PD) leads to a loss of neuromelanin positive, noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) which has been implicated in non-motor dysfunction. “Neuromelanin sensitive” magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has emerged as a promising tool for mapping the structural integrity of LC in vivo.ObjectivesTo identify spatial patterns of structural LC disintegration in PD and regions in the LC where structural disintegration is associated with specific non-motor dysfunctions.Methods42 patients with PD and 24 age-matched healthy volunteers underwent ultra-high field MRI of the LC using a “neuromelanin sensitive” magnetization transfer weighted (MTw) sequence. The contrast-to-noise ratio of the MTw signal (CNRMTw) served as an estimate of structural integrity, slice- and voxel-wise analyses of CNRMTw were performed to map the spatial pattern of structural disintegration, complemented by Principal Component Analysis (PCA). We also tested for correlations between CNRMTw and the severity of non-motor symptoms.ResultsMean CNRMTw of LC was reduced in patients relative to controls. The attenuation of CNRMTw was not uniformly expressed in LC, but confined to the middle and caudal LC. CNRMTw attenuation in caudal LC scaled with the orthostatic drop in systolic blood pressure and apathy ratings. PCA identified a bilaterally expressed component that was more weakly expressed in patients. This component was characterized by a gradual change in CNRMTw along the rostro-caudal and dorso-ventral axes of the nucleus. The individual expression score of this component reflected the overall severity of non-motor symptoms.ConclusionPD related structural disintegration of LC mainly affects its caudal part and may determine the individual expression of specific non-motor symptoms such as orthostatic dysregulation or apathy.


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