Pure autonomic failure.

In this chapter, we describe the history, presentation, diagnosis and treatment of pure autonomic failure (PAF). The pathology underlying this condition is thought to involve the deposition of alpha synuclein in the autonomic ganglia leading to diminished norepinephrine release and progressive autonomic dysfunction. We focus on various neurophysiological tests that may be used to evaluate the function of the peripheral autonomic nervous system including quantitative sudomotor axon reflex testing, thermoregulatory sweat testing, and others.

Locked-In Syndrome: Case Report and Discussion of Decisional Capacity.

Locked-in syndrome (LIS) is a rare neurologic disorder rendering an individual quadriplegic and anarthric with preserved self-awareness and normal if not near-normal cognition. A lesion to the ventral pons causes the classic form of LIS, and patients can typically interact with their environment with eye/eyelid movements. LIS patients may live for years with preserved quality of life (QoL) and cognitive function, but with severe disability.

Pain in Parkinson's disease: analysis and literature review.

Pain is a common problem faced by Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Despite its impact and disabling effects pain is still frequently overlooked. In this study we analyze a representative sample of peer reviewed literature for the prevalence and types of pain in PD, the impact and significance of pain in the quality of life of the PD patient and the challenges inherent in the diagnosis and management of pain in PD patients.

Impact of cognitive dysfunction on drooling in Parkinson's disease.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is commonly characterized by its motor symptoms such as resting tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia and postural instability; however, some of the most debilitating symptoms of this disease are non-motor ones such as dementia and sialorrhea (drooling). Drooling is caused by impaired swallowing and it can have a significant impact on the quality of life. However, it is still unclear whether cognitive dysfunction could exacerbate drooling.

Prevalence of blepharospasm and apraxia of eyelid opening in patients with parkinsonism, cervical dystonia and essential tremor.

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of blepharospasm (BSP), with and without apraxia of eyelid opening (AEO), in patients with parkinsonism, cervical dystonia (CD), and essential tremor (ET). BSP, with or without AEO, is associated with parkinsonism. There have been several reports of BSP in other dystonic conditions, but few looked at the incidence of BSP in ET patients.