Discourse Analysis in Tamil Speaking Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. Though PD is primarily a motor speech disorder during the initial stages, as the disease progresses, a gradual decline in linguistic aspects is observed as well. The effects of disease (PD) on cognition, word retrieval, syntax, and speech/voice processes may act together to manifest uniquely in spoken language tasks. There is a dearth of studies focusing on the discourse abilities in PD, especially in Indian context. Aim: The present study aims at investigating the micro and macrostructure discourse by using personal narrative task in Tamil speaking individuals with idiopathic PD and comparing it with the neuro-typical individuals Method: Two groups comprising 5 Tamil-speaking individuals with idiopathic PD in the age range of 60–85 years and 5 neuro-typical individuals were included in the study. To assess their discourse skills, participants were engaged in a personal narrative task. The analyses done were based on macro and micro structural aspects of discourse. The raw scores were subjected to suitable statistical analysis. Results: There was a statistical significance between the Parkinson & Normal group on Total number of words, No. of Different words, No. of content words, No. of Functional words, Free morphemes, Complex structure per utterances & Relevant piece per utterance in microstructural aspects. However there was no significant difference observed in the macrostructural aspects due to smaller sample size. Conclusion: It can be concluded that in addition to speech impairment, language structure is also affected in persons with PD. Intervening at the level of discourse is an important aspect as it enhances the quality of life. Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, Discourse, Tamil speaking, Micro analysis, Macro Analysis.

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Cerebrospinal fluid levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in Parkinson’s disease and atypical parkinsonian syndromes

Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽

10.1159/000520302 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Michaela Kaiserova ◽

Monika Chudackova ◽

Hana Prikrylova Vranova ◽

Katerina Mensikova ◽

Anetta Kastelikova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Cerebrospinal Fluid ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Corticobasal Degeneration ◽

Control Group ◽

Csf Biomarkers ◽

Parkinsonian Syndromes ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid

Background: Various cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers are studied in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and atypical parkinsonian syndromes (APS). Several studies found reduced 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), the main serotonin metabolite, in PD. There is little evidence regarding its levels in APS. Methods: We measured 5-HIAA in the CSF of 90 PD patients, 16 MSA patients, 26 progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) patients, 11 corticobasal degeneration (CBD) patients, and 31 controls. We also compared the values in depressed and non-depressed patients. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in CSF 5-HIAA in PD and MSA compared to the control group (median in PD 15.8 µg/l, in MSA 13.6 µg/l vs. 24.3 µg/l in controls; P=0.0008 in PD, P=0.006 in MSA). There was no statistically significant difference in CSF 5-HIAA in PSP and CBD compared to the control group (median in PSP 22.7 µg/l, in CBD 18.7 µg/l vs. 24.3 µg/l in controls; P= 1 in both PSP and CBD). CSF 5-HIAA levels were lower in PD patients with depression compared to PD patients without depression (median 8.34 vs. 18.48, P<0.0001). Conclusions: CSF 5-HIAA is decreased in PD and MSA. The CSF 5-HIAA levels in PSP and CBS did not differ from those of the control group. There was a tendency toward lower CSF 5-HIAA in MSA than in PD, however, the results did not reach statistical significance. These results may be explained by more severe damage of the serotonergic system in synucleinopathies (PD, MSA) than in tauopathies (PSP, CBS).

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Rat Models of Vocal Deficits in Parkinson’s Disease

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11070925 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 925

Author(s):

Maryann N. Krasko ◽

Jesse D. Hoffmeister ◽

Nicole E. Schaen-Heacock ◽

Jacob M. Welsch ◽

Cynthia A. Kelm-Nelson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Vocal Communication ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Alpha Synuclein ◽

Motor Speech ◽

Rat Models ◽

Motor Speech Disorder ◽

Degenerative Disorder ◽

6 Hydroxydopamine

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive, degenerative disorder that affects 10 million people worldwide. More than 90% of individuals with PD develop hypokinetic dysarthria, a motor speech disorder that impairs vocal communication and quality of life. Despite the prevalence of vocal deficits in this population, very little is known about the pathological mechanisms underlying this aspect of disease. As such, effective treatment options are limited. Rat models have provided unique insights into the disease-specific mechanisms of vocal deficits in PD. This review summarizes recent studies investigating vocal deficits in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), alpha-synuclein overexpression, DJ1-/-, and Pink1-/- rat models of PD. Model-specific changes to rat ultrasonic vocalization (USV), and the effects of exercise and pharmacologic interventions on USV production in these models are discussed.

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Variance of the Gait Parameters and Fraction of Double-Support Interval for Determining the Severity of Parkinson’s Disease

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app10020577 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 577

Author(s):

Sana M. Keloth ◽

Sridhar P. Arjunan ◽

Dinesh K. Kumar

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Mean Values ◽

Support Interval ◽

Double Support ◽

Gait Parameters ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Mean ◽

The Difference

The aim of this study was to determine the gait features that are most suitable for the quantified assessment of the severity of Parkinson’s disease (PD). This study computed the mean and variance of the four phases of gait intervals, i.e., stride, swing, stance and double-support intervals, and lateral difference to determine the difference between three groups, i.e., control subjects and PD patients with two severity levels (early and advanced stage) of the disease, PD1 and PD2. Data from 31 subjects were used in the study. The data were obtained from the public database (16 control healthy subjects, 6 Parkinson’s disease patients with early stages, and 9 Parkinson’s disease patients with advanced stages based on the Hoehn and Yahr scale). The main outcome measure of the study was the group difference of the four gait interval parameters and the statistical significance of this difference. The results show that there was a significant increase in the variance of the four gait intervals with the severity of the disease. However, there was no significant difference in the mean values between the three groups. It was also observed that the fraction corresponding to the double-support interval was significantly higher for PD patients. This study has shown that the variance of the gait parameters and the fraction of double-support interval are associated with the severity of PD and may be suitable measures for a quantified evaluation of the disease.

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Prevalence of and Severity of Depression among Parkinson Disease Patients

Journal of Advances in Medicine and Medical Research ◽

10.9734/jammr/2020/v32i830470 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 110-118

Author(s):

Ugbomah Lucy Ohoreorovwori ◽

Stanley Princewill Chukwuemeka ◽

Adiukwu Frances ◽

Osemwegie NosakhareOsemwegie Nosakhare

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Control Group ◽

P Value ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Prevalence Of Depression ◽

Severity Of Depression

Background: The objectives of the study were to determine prevalence and severity of depression among patients with Parkinson’s diseaseand compare with a control group that has comparable disability with PD and ascertain the correlation of depressive symptoms severity with the severity of motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods: This was a comparative cross-sectional descriptive study conducted at the Neurology clinic of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH).The presence and severity of depression in patients with PD measured using Becks Depression Inventory (BDI) and severity of PD using Unified Parkinson’s DiseaseRating Scale (UPDRS)-motor. Results: A total of 40 PD patients and 40 patients with non-complicated hypertension werestudied. This study showed that the prevalence of depression among subjects with Parkinson’s disease was significantly higher 72.5% as compared with control group, further comparing the mean BDI for PD and Hypertension using independent t-test shows statistical significance (t=-3.306, p-value< 0.001). However, there is no significant difference between the severity of depression among PD patients and control. The study also reported difference in the pattern of depressive symptoms as the PD progresses. Conclusions: The prevalence of depression in this study was significantly higher (72.5%) among patients with PD, with no significant difference in severity of depression. however, the pattern of depressive symptoms shows significant difference as PD progresses.We recommend the integration of mental health services into the care of Parkinson’s disease to ensure regular assessment of their mental health status and prompt treatment.

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Donepezil for mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-84243-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kyoungwon Baik ◽

Seon Myeong Kim ◽

Jin Ho Jung ◽

Yang Hyun Lee ◽

Seok Jong Chung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Treatment Group ◽

Outcome Measures ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Control Group ◽

Significant Difference

AbstractWe investigated the efficacy of donepezil for mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease (PD-MCI). This was a prospective, non-randomized, open-label, two-arm study. Eighty PD-MCI patients were assigned to either a treatment or control group. The treatment group received donepezil for 48 weeks. The primary outcome measures were the Korean version of Mini-Mental State Exam and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores. Secondary outcome measures were the Clinical Dementia Rating, Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale part III, Clinical Global Impression scores. Progression of dementia was assessed at 48-week. Comprehensive neuropsychological tests and electroencephalography (EEG) were performed at baseline and after 48 weeks. The spectral power ratio of the theta to beta2 band (TB2R) in the electroencephalogram was analyzed. There was no significant difference in the primary and secondary outcome measures between the two groups. However, the treatment group showed a significant decrease in TB2R at bilateral frontotemporoparietal channels compared to the control group. Although we could not demonstrate improvements in the cognitive functions, donepezil treatment had a modulatory effect on the EEG in PD-MCI patients. EEG might be a sensitive biomarker for detecting changes in PD-MCI after donepezil treatment.

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Assessment of the Telomere Length and Its Effect on the Symptomatology of Parkinson’s Disease

Antioxidants ◽

10.3390/antiox10010137 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 137

Author(s):

Tina Levstek ◽

Sara Redenšek ◽

Maja Trošt ◽

Vita Dolžan ◽

Katarina Trebušak Podkrajšek

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Telomere Length ◽

Repetitive Sequences ◽

Housekeeping Gene ◽

Cellular Aging ◽

Brain Diseases ◽

Motor Complications ◽

Telomere Attrition ◽

Significant Difference

Telomeres, which are repetitive sequences that cap the end of the chromosomes, shorten with each cell division. Besides cellular aging, there are several other factors that influence telomere length (TL), in particular, oxidative stress and inflammation, which play an important role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative brain diseases including Parkinson’s disease (PD). So far, the majority of studies have not demonstrated a significant difference in TL between PD patients and healthy individuals. However, studies investigating the effect of TL on the symptomatology and disease progression of PD are scarce, and thus, warranted. We analyzed TL of peripheral blood cells in a sample of 204 PD patients without concomitant autoimmune diseases and analyzed its association with several PD related phenotypes. Monochrome multiplex quantitative PCR (mmqPCR) was used to determine relative TL given as a ratio of the amount of DNA between the telomere and albumin as the housekeeping gene. We found a significant difference in the relative TL between PD patients with and without dementia, where shorter TL presented higher risk for dementia (p = 0.024). However, the correlation was not significant after adjustment for clinical factors (p = 0.509). We found no correlations between TLs and the dose of dopaminergic therapy when the analysis was adjusted for genetic variability in inflammatory or oxidative factors. In addition, TL influenced time to onset of motor complications after levodopa treatment initiation (p = 0.0134), but the association did not remain significant after adjustment for age at inclusion and disease duration (p = 0.0781). Based on the results of our study we conclude that TL contributes to certain PD-related phenotypes, although it may not have a major role in directing the course of the disease. Nevertheless, this expends currently limited knowledge regarding the association of the telomere attrition and the disease severity or motor complications in Parkinson’s disease.

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Physiotherapy versus Consecutive Physiotherapy and Cognitive Treatment in People with Parkinson’s Disease: A Pilot Randomized Cross-Over Study

Journal of Personalized Medicine ◽

10.3390/jpm11080687 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 687

Author(s):

Valentina Varalta ◽

Paola Poiese ◽

Serena Recchia ◽

Barbara Montagnana ◽

Cristina Fonte ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Treatment Group ◽

Cognitive Rehabilitation ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Verbal Learning ◽

Functional Mobility ◽

Cognitive Treatment ◽

Rehabilitation Programs ◽

Significant Difference

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by motor and cognitive dysfunctions that can usually be treated by physiotherapy or cognitive training, respectively. The effects of consecutive physiotherapy and cognitive rehabilitation programs on PD deficits are less investigated. Objective: We investigated the effects of 3 months of physiotherapy (physiotherapy treatment group) or consecutive physiotherapy and cognitive (physiotherapy and cognitive treatment group) rehabilitation programs on cognitive, motor, and psychological aspects in 20 PD patients. Methods: The two groups switched programs and continued rehabilitation for another 3 months. The outcomes were score improvement on cognitive (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Frontal Assessment Battery, Trail Making Test, Verbal Phonemic Fluency, Digit Span, and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning), motor (Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale-III, Berg Balance Scale, Two-Minute Walking Test, and Time Up and Go), and psychological (Beck Depression Inventory and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) scales. Results: Between-group comparison revealed a significant difference in functional mobility between the two rehabilitation programs. Improvements in walking abilities were noted after both interventions, but only the patients treated with consecutive training showed better performance on functional mobility and memory tasks. Conclusion: Our findings support the hypothesis that consecutive physiotherapy plus cognitive rehabilitation may have a greater benefit than physiotherapy alone in patients with PD.

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Appendectomy Does Not Increase the Risk of Future Emergence of Parkinson’s Disease: A Meta-analysis

The American Surgeon ◽

10.1177/0003134821989034 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 000313482198903

Author(s):

Mitsuru Ishizuka ◽

Norisuke Shibuya ◽

Kazutoshi Takagi ◽

Hiroyuki Hachiya ◽

Kazuma Tago ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Random Effects Models ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Cochrane Library ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship ◽

Observation Period

Objective To explore the impact of appendectomy history on emergence of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Background Although there are several studies to investigate the relationship between appendectomy history and emergence of PD, the results are still controversial. Methods We performed a comprehensive electronic search of the literature (the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and the Web of Science) up to April 2020 to identify studies that had employed databases allowing comparison of emergence of PD between patients with and those without appendectomy history. To integrate the impact of appendectomy history on emergence of PD, a meta-analysis was performed using random-effects models to calculate the risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the selected studies, and heterogeneity was analyzed using I2 statistics. Results Four studies involving a total of 6 080 710 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Among 1 470 613 patients with appendectomy history, 1845 (.13%) had emergences of PD during the observation period, whereas among 4 610 097 patients without appendectomy history, 6743 (.15%) had emergences of PD during the observation period. These results revealed that patients with appendectomy history and without appendectomy had almost the same emergence of PD (RR, 1.02; 95% CI, .87-1.20; P = .83; I2 = 87%). Conclusion This meta-analysis has demonstrated that there was no significant difference in emergence of PD between patients with and those without appendectomy history.

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Lower vascular tone and larger plasma volume in Parkinson's disease with orthostatic hypotension

Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1152/japplphysiol.00069.2011 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 111 (2) ◽

pp. 443-448 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

J. T. Groothuis ◽

R. A. J. Esselink ◽

J. P. H. Seeger ◽

M. J. H. van Aalst ◽

M. T. E. Hopman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Blood Flow ◽

Orthostatic Hypotension ◽

Vascular Resistance ◽

Plasma Volume ◽

Venous Pressure ◽

Dilution Method ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Head Up Tilt

The pathophysiology of orthostatic hypotension in Parkinson's disease (PD) is incompletely understood. The primary focus has thus far been on failure of the baroreflex, a central mediated vasoconstrictor mechanism. Here, we test the role of two other possible factors: 1) a reduced peripheral vasoconstriction (which may contribute because PD includes a generalized sympathetic denervation); and 2) an inadequate plasma volume (which may explain why plasma volume expansion can manage orthostatic hypotension in PD). We included 11 PD patients with orthostatic hypotension (PD + OH), 14 PD patients without orthostatic hypotension (PD − OH), and 15 age-matched healthy controls. Leg blood flow was examined using duplex ultrasound during 60° head-up tilt. Leg vascular resistance was calculated as the arterial-venous pressure gradient divided by blood flow. In a subset of 9 PD + OH, 9 PD − OH, and 8 controls, plasma volume was determined by indicator dilution method with radiolabeled albumin (125I-HSA). The basal leg vascular resistance was significantly lower in PD + OH (0.7 ± 0.3 mmHg·ml−1·min) compared with PD − OH (1.3 ± 0.6 mmHg·ml−1·min, P < 0.01) and controls (1.3 ± 0.5 mmHg·ml−1·min, P < 0.01). Leg vascular resistance increased significantly during 60° head-up tilt with no significant difference between the groups. Plasma volume was significantly larger in PD + OH (3,869 ± 265 ml) compared with PD − OH (3,123 ± 377 ml, P < 0.01) and controls (3,204 ± 537 ml, P < 0.01). These results indicate that PD + OH have a lower basal leg vascular resistance in combination with a larger plasma volume compared with PD − OH and controls. Despite the increase in leg vascular resistance during 60° head-up tilt, PD + OH are unable to maintain their blood pressure.

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The Incidence of Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Neuroepidemiology ◽

10.1159/000445751 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 46 (4) ◽

pp. 292-300 ◽

Cited By ~ 171

Author(s):

Lauren Hirsch ◽

Nathalie Jette ◽

Alexandra Frolkis ◽

Thomas Steeves ◽

Tamara Pringsheim

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Age Groups ◽

Significant Heterogeneity ◽

International Studies ◽

Significant Difference ◽

And Gender

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder. Epidemiological studies on the incidence of PD are important to better understand the risk factors for PD and determine the condition's natural history. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis examine the incidence of PD and its variation by age and gender. Methods: We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for epidemiologic studies of PD from 2001 to 2014, as a previously published systematic review included studies published until 2001. Data were analyzed separately for age group and gender, and meta-regression was used to determine whether a significant difference was present between groups. Results: Twenty-seven studies were included in the analysis. Meta-analysis of international studies showed rising incidence with age in both men and women. Significant heterogeneity was observed in the 80+ group, which may be explained by methodological differences between studies. While males had a higher incidence of PD in all age groups, this difference was only statistically significant for those in the age range 60-69 and 70-79 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: PD incidence generally increases with age, although it may stabilize in those who are 80+.

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