Physical activity based on dance movements as complementary therapy for Parkinson's disease: Effects on movement, executive functions, depressive symptoms, and quality of life.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease with motor symptoms that are well understood, but non-motor symptoms may be present and appear at different temporal stages of the disease. Physical activity based on dance movements is emerging as a complementary therapeutic approach to a range of PD symptoms as a multidimensional activity that requires rhythmic synchronization and more neuromuscular functions.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of physical activity based on dance movements on the movement, executive functions, depressive symptoms, quality of life, and severity of PD in individuals diagnosed with PD.

Sexual Disorders and Quality of Life in Parkinson's Disease.

Introduction: Sexual disorders are the most neglected nonmotor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). Although doctors seek greater priority to motor manifestations, which are the basis for the diagnosis of PD, the nonmotor symptoms deserve to be highlighted as much as the motor problems because of their strong presence and discomfort in the patients, causing the important impairment in the quality of life (QoL) of the individual with PD.

Aim: Provide the prevalence of sexual disorders among patients with PD and alert the medical profession to investigate and be familiar with problems related to QoL and sexual disorders in PD.

Analysis of brain death declaration process and its impact on organ donation in a reference trauma center.

Objective: To characterize the processes of brain death diagnosis and organ donation in a reference trauma center.

Methods: Observational and cross-sectional study with patients notified with brain death at a reference trauma center. Data were obtained through the collection of medical records and brain death declaration forms.

Harbinger of storm: influence of Oliver Sacks on levodopa therapy in early 1970s.

Most known by his literary ability, the words of the neurologist Oliver Sacks (1933-2015) also had an impact on scientific community about the role of levodopa on parkinsonisms. Different from the most authors and based on his experience described on the book "Awakenings", he had a pessimistic opinion about levodopa, which was related on many articles written by himself and colleagues in early 1970s. We reviewed the scientific contribution of Oliver Sacks associated to levodopa therapy on parkinsonisms, and how he advised caution with its complications before the majority of physicians.

Cytoarchitecture of nitrergic neurons in the human striatum and subthalamic nucleus.

Background: Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous molecule that modulates several physiological processes, including signal transmission in the central nervous system. There is evidence supporting NO as a major neurotransmitter involved in motor and emotion/behavior control. We investigated the distribution and morphology of nitrergic neurons in the two main input structures of the basal ganglia of human brain: the striatum and subthalamic nucleus.

Effects of aging on nitrergic neurons in human striatum and subthalamic nucleus.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a major neurotransmitter associated with motor control in basal ganglia. Movement disorders, as essential tremor and Parkinson's disease, are more prevalent on aged individuals. We investigated the effects of aging on neuronal density and diameter/area of nitrergic neurons in samples of striatum (caudate and putamen) and subthalamic nucleus of 20 human brains from normal subjects, stained by histochemistry for NADPH-diaphorase and immunohistochemistry for neuronal NO synthase.