Motor and non-motor features of Parkinson's disease in LRRK2 G2019S carriers versus matched controls.

Introduction: LRRK2 G2019S mutation carriers with Parkinson's disease (PD) have been generally indistinguishable from those with idiopathic PD, with the exception of variable differences in some motor and non-motor domains, including cognition, gait, and balance. LRRK2 G2019S is amongst the most common genetic etiologies for PD, particularly in Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) populations.

Methods: This cross-sectional data collection study sought to clarify the phenotype of LRRK2 G2019S mutation carriers with PD.

A randomized trial of individual versus group-format exercise and self-management in individuals with Parkinson's disease and comorbid depression.

Background: Depression is common in people with Parkinson's disease (PD), and exercise is known to improve depression and PD. However, lack of motivation and low self-efficacy can make exercise difficult for people with PD and comorbid depression (PD-Dep). A combined group exercise and chronic disease self-management (CDSM) program may improve the likeli-hood that individuals will engage in exercise and will show a reduction in depression symptoms.

Five-months-postoperative neuropsychological outcome from a pilot prospective randomized clinical trial of thalamic deep brain stimulation for Tourette syndrome.

Objective: Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder presenting with motor and/or sonic tics associated with frontostriatal dysfunction. This study provided pilot data of the neuropsychological safety of bilateral thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) to treat medication-refractory TS in adults.

Method: This study used a repeated-measures design with pretest and 3-month follow-up from start of continuous bilateral DBS.

Automated motion sensor quantification of gait and lower extremity bradykinesia.

The objective was to develop and evaluate algorithms for quantifying gait and lower extremity bradykinesia in patients with Parkinson's disease using kinematic data recorded on a heel-worn motion sensor unit. Subjects were evaluated by three movement disorder neurologists on four domains taken from the Movement Disorders Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale while wearing the motion sensor unit. Multiple linear regression models were developed based on the recorded kinematic data and clinician scores and produced outputs highly correlated to clinician scores with an average correlation coefficient of 0.

Quantitative analysis of gait and balance response to deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease.

Gait and balance disturbances in Parkinson's disease (PD) can be debilitating and may lead to increased fall risk. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a treatment option once therapeutic benefits from medication are limited due to motor fluctuations and dyskinesia. Optimizing DBS parameters for gait and balance can be significantly more challenging than for other PD motor symptoms.

Prospective randomized double-blind trial of bilateral thalamic deep brain stimulation in adults with Tourette syndrome.

Object: The severity of Tourette syndrome (TS) typically peaks just before adolescence and diminishes afterward. In some patients, however, TS progresses into adulthood, and proves to be medically refractory. The authors conducted a prospective double-blind crossover trial of bilateral thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) in five adults with TS.

Maintaining the square. How older adults with Parkinson's disease sustain quality in their lives.

In this article, the author's objective is to uncover the common practices that help sustain quality in the lives of older adults with Parkinson's disease. Interpretive phenomenology was the method used to gather and analyze the stories of six men and six women with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. The results show a constitutive pattern of Maintaining the Square.