Mobile Systems as a Challenge for Neurological Diseases Management – The Case of Parkinson's Disease

Abstract Background Identification of individual gait events is essential for clinical gait analysis, because it can be used for diagnostic purposes or tracking disease progression in neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. Previous research has shown that gait events can be detected from a shank-mounted inertial measurement unit (IMU), however detection performance was often evaluated only from straight-line walking. For use in daily life, the detection performance needs to be evaluated in curved walking and turning as well as in single-task and dual-task conditions. Methods Participants (older adults, people with Parkinson’s disease, or people who had suffered from a stroke) performed three different walking trials: (1) straight-line walking, (2) slalom walking, (3) Stroop-and-walk trial. An optical motion capture system was used a reference system. Markers were attached to the heel and toe regions of the shoe, and participants wore IMUs on the lateral sides of both shanks. The angular velocity of the shank IMUs was used to detect instances of initial foot contact (IC) and final foot contact (FC), which were compared to reference values obtained from the marker trajectories. Results The detection method showed high recall, precision and F1 scores in different populations for both initial contacts and final contacts during straight-line walking (IC: recall $$=$$ = 100%, precision $$=$$ = 100%, F1 score $$=$$ = 100%; FC: recall $$=$$ = 100%, precision $$=$$ = 100%, F1 score $$=$$ = 100%), slalom walking (IC: recall $$=$$ = 100%, precision $$\ge$$ ≥ 99%, F1 score $$=$$ = 100%; FC: recall $$=$$ = 100%, precision $$\ge$$ ≥ 99%, F1 score $$=$$ = 100%), and turning (IC: recall $$\ge$$ ≥ 85%, precision $$\ge$$ ≥ 95%, F1 score $$\ge$$ ≥ 91%; FC: recall $$\ge$$ ≥ 84%, precision $$\ge$$ ≥ 95%, F1 score $$\ge$$ ≥ 89%). Conclusions Shank-mounted IMUs can be used to detect gait events during straight-line walking, slalom walking and turning. However, more false events were observed during turning and more events were missed during turning. For use in daily life we recommend identifying turning before extracting temporal gait parameters from identified gait events.

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Recent Insights into the Interplay of Alpha-Synuclein and Sphingolipid Signaling in Parkinson’s Disease

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22126277 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (12) ◽

pp. 6277

Author(s):

Joanna A. Motyl ◽

Joanna B. Strosznajder ◽

Agnieszka Wencel ◽

Robert P. Strosznajder

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Cell Fate ◽

Neuronal Death ◽

Neurological Diseases ◽

Alpha Synuclein ◽

Lipid Mediator ◽

Cell Defense ◽

Promising Therapeutic Approach ◽

S1p Receptor

Molecular studies have provided increasing evidence that Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a protein conformational disease, where the spread of alpha-synuclein (ASN) pathology along the neuraxis correlates with clinical disease outcome. Pathogenic forms of ASN evoke oxidative stress (OS), neuroinflammation, and protein alterations in neighboring cells, thereby intensifying ASN toxicity, neurodegeneration, and neuronal death. A number of evidence suggest that homeostasis between bioactive sphingolipids with opposing function—e.g., sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and ceramide—is essential in pro-survival signaling and cell defense against OS. In contrast, imbalance of the “sphingolipid biostat” favoring pro-oxidative/pro-apoptotic ceramide-mediated changes have been indicated in PD and other neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, we focused on the role of sphingolipid alterations in ASN burden, as well as in a vast range of its neurotoxic effects. Sphingolipid homeostasis is principally directed by sphingosine kinases (SphKs), which synthesize S1P—a potent lipid mediator regulating cell fate and inflammatory response—making SphK/S1P signaling an essential pharmacological target. A growing number of studies have shown that S1P receptor modulators, and agonists are promising protectants in several neurological diseases. This review demonstrates the relationship between ASN toxicity and alteration of SphK-dependent S1P signaling in OS, neuroinflammation, and neuronal death. Moreover, we discuss the S1P receptor-mediated pathways as a novel promising therapeutic approach in PD.

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Caracole as a Potential Neuroprotective Agent for Neurological Diseases: A Systematic

CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets ◽

10.2174/1871527320666210506185042 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

Author(s):

Mohammad Zamanian ◽

Małgorzata Kujawska ◽

Marjan Nikbakht Zadeh ◽

Amin Hassanshahi ◽

Soudeh Ramezanpour ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Neurological Diseases ◽

Antioxidant Systems ◽

Neuroprotective Agent ◽

The Impact

Background & objective: Neurological diseases are becoming a significant problem worldwide, with the elderly at a higher risk of being affected. Several researchers have investigated the neuroprotective effects of Carvacrol (CAR) (5-isopropyl-2-methyl phenol). This review systematically surveys the existing literature on the impact of CAR when used as a neuroprotective agent in neurological diseases. Methods: The systematic review involved English articles published in the last ten years obtained from PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases. The following descriptors were used to search the literature: “Carvacrol” [Title] AND “neuroprotective (neuroprotection)” [Title] OR “stroke, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, seizure, epilepsy [Title]. Results: : A total of 208 articles were retrieved during the search process, but only 20 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included for review. A total of 20 articles were identified, in which the efficacy of CAR was described in experimental models of stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, , epilepsy, and seizure, through motor deficits improvements in neurochemical activity, especially antioxidant systems, reducing inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis as well as inhibition of TRPC1 and TRPM7. Conclusion : The data presented in this study support the beneficial impact of CAR on behavioural and neurochemical deficits. CAR benefits accrue because of its anti-apoptotic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, CAR has emerged as an alternative treatment for neurological disorders based on its properties.

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Polypharmacy in chronic neurological diseases: Multiple sclerosis, dementia and Parkinson’s disease

Current Pharmaceutical Design ◽

10.2174/1381612827666210728102832 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 27 ◽

Author(s):

Niklas Frahm ◽

Michael Hecker ◽

Uwe Zettl

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Neurological Diseases ◽

Severe Disease ◽

Inappropriate Medication ◽

Medication Management ◽

Chronically Ill ◽

Symptom Profile ◽

Quantitative Definition

: Polypharmacy is an important aspect of medication management and particularly affects elderly and chronically ill people. Patients with dementia, Parkinson’s disease (PD) or multiple sclerosis (MS) are at high risk for multimedication due to their complex symptomatology. Our aim was to provide an overview of different definitions of polypharmacy and to present the current state of research on polypharmacy in patients with dementia, PD or MS. The most common definition of polypharmacy in the literature is the concomitant use of ≥5 medications (quantitative definition approach). Polypharmacy rates of up to >50% have been reported for patients with dementia, PD or MS, although MS patients are on average significantly younger than those with dementia or PD. The main predictor of polypharmacy is the complex symptom profile of these neurological disorders. Potentially inappropriate medication (PIM), drug-drug interactions, poor treatment adherence, severe disease course, cognitive impairment, hospitalisation, poor quality of life, frailty and mortality have been associated with polypharmacy in patients with dementia, PD or MS. For patients with polypharmacy, either the avoidance of PIM (selective deprescribing) or the substitution of PIM with more suitable drugs (appropriate polypharmacy) is recommended to achieve a more effective therapeutic management.

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Camillo Negro and his contributions to neurology

Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria ◽

10.1590/0004-282x20190038 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 77 (9) ◽

pp. 669-671

Author(s):

Beatriz Gioppo Betini ◽

Alex Tiburtino Meira ◽

Hélio Afonso Ghizoni Teive

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Facial Paralysis ◽

Neurological Diseases ◽

Historical Review ◽

Clinical Neurology ◽

Peripheral Facial Paralysis

ABSTRACT An historical review of the contributions made by Italian professor, Camillo Negro, to neurology. Negro published several books on clinical neurology, was one of the pioneers of scientific films and described numerous neurological diseases. He is best known for describing the cogwheel phenomenon in patients with Parkinson's disease but also described a sign of peripheral facial paralysis.

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Immune Gene Network of Neurological Diseases: Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Huntington's Disease (HD)

SSRN Electronic Journal ◽

10.2139/ssrn.3950084 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Shradha Mukherjee

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Huntington's Disease ◽

Huntington’S Disease ◽

Gene Network ◽

Neurological Diseases ◽

Immune Gene

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Palliative Care in End-Stage Neurological Disease

Hospice and Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care Flashcards ◽

10.1093/med/9780190633066.003.0036 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Tobias Walbert ◽

Joel Phillips

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Palliative Care ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Symptom Management ◽

Neurological Diseases ◽

The United States ◽

Pain Syndromes ◽

End Stage ◽

Chronic Course

Neurological disorders are among the leading causes of morbidity and death worldwide. Although stroke is the third leading cause of death, after heart disease and cancer, in the United States, other neurological diseases have a more chronic course that leads to protracted disability, morbidity, and death. Unfortunately, for many of these disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS), no cure is currently available. Patients suffer from dysarthria, dysphagia, muscle spasm, bladder and bowel difficulties, pain syndromes, and fatigue. Adequate symptom management and palliative care have the potential to maintain good quality of life for patients for as long as possible and ease the burden on both caregivers and patients. This chapter outlines the principles of clinical symptom management for some of the most important neurological diseases, specifically ALS, stroke, MS, and Parkinson’s disease.

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The art and neurology of Paul Richer

Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria ◽

10.1590/0004-282x20170067 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 75 (7) ◽

pp. 484-487

Author(s):

Péricles Maranhão-Filho

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Neurological Diseases ◽

Laryngeal Paralysis ◽

Human Movements ◽

Artistic Training

ABSTRACT In the 1890s, one of Charcot’s most important protégés, Dr. Paul Richer (1849–1933), drew and sculpted a series of representations of the main types of nerve pathology. That series included drawings of pleomorphic hysterical crises and sculptures depicting patients suffering from labio-glosso-laryngeal paralysis and myopathy, as well as Parkinson’s disease. Richer was a resident at La Salpêtrière and, in 1882, became head of the Charcot museum. Early in his career, despite having no formal artistic training, he could represent masterfully, in drawings and sculptures, people’s tragic suffering from neurological diseases. Later on, with the same tools, he expressed the beauty of human movements in health.

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Patients with Parkinson’s Disease and Myasthenia Gravis—A Report of Three New Cases and Review of the Literature

Medicina ◽

10.3390/medicina56010005 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 56 (1) ◽

pp. 5

Author(s):

Irina Odajiu ◽

Eugenia Irene Davidescu ◽

Cristina Mitu ◽

Bogdan Ovidiu Popescu

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Literature Review ◽

Myasthenia Gravis ◽

Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽

Neurological Diseases ◽

Review Of The Literature ◽

Clinical Hospital

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD)have increasing incidence, due to lifespan expansion. The association between PD and Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is uncommon, and so far, since 1987, 26 cases have been reported. We report here a series of three new cases, two men and one woman with this peculiar combination of conditions, identified in the Neurology Department of Colentina Clinical Hospital. In this article, the pathogenesis of MG in patients with PD is discussed, along with a literature review regarding the co-occurrence of these two neurological diseases.

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