Effect of Triheptanoin on Caudate Atrophy and Motor Scores in Patients With Early-Stage Huntington Disease: A Phase II Study.

Background And Objectives: Brain energy deficiency occurs at the early stage of Huntington disease (HD). Triheptanoin, a drug that targets the Krebs cycle, can restore a normal brain energetic profile in patients with HD. In this study, we aimed at assessing its efficacy on clinical and neuroimaging structural measures in HD.

Directional Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation Better Improves Gait and Balance Disorders in Parkinson's Disease Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Objective: To investigate the effects of directional subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN-dDBS) on gait and balance disorders, including freezing of gait (FOG), in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: We included 10 participants who underwent STN-DBS and presented severe preoperative FOG, in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study. We used segmented DBS electrodes to investigate whether directing the predicted volume of tissue activated (VTA) to overlap the central STN preferentially improved gait and balance disorders compared to directional DBS applied in the more posterior STN (sensorimotor).

Sustained reduction of essential tremor with low-power non-thermal transcranial focused ultrasound stimulations in humans.

Background: Transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique; when skull aberrations are compensated for, this technique allows, with millimetric accuracy, circumvention of the invasive surgical procedure associated with deep brain stimulation (DBS) and the limited spatial specificity of transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Objective: /hypothesis: We hypothesize that MR-guided low-power TUS can induce a sustained decrease of tremor power in patients suffering from medically refractive essential tremor.

Methods: The dominant hand only was targeted, and two anatomical sites were sonicated in this exploratory study: the ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus (VIM) and the dentato-rubro-thalamic tract (DRT).

The impact of subthalamic deep-brain stimulation in restoring motor symmetry in Parkinson's disease patients: a prospective study.

Background And Objectives: The impact of subthalamic deep-brain stimulation (STN-DBS) on motor asymmetry and its influence on both motor and non-motor outcomes remain unclear. The present study aims at assessing the role of STN-DBS on motor asymmetry and how its modulation translates into benefits in motor function, activities of daily living (ADLs) and quality of life (QoL).

Methods: Postoperative motor asymmetry has been assessed on the multicentric, prospective Predictive Factors and Subthalamic Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease cohort.

ON/OFF non-motor evaluation: a new way to evaluate non-motor fluctuations in Parkinson's disease.

Background: NMF are currently poorly evaluated in therapeutic decisions. A quantification of their severity would facilitate their integration. The objective of this study was to validate an autoquestionnaire evaluating the severity of non-motor fluctuations (NMF) in Parkinson's disease (PD).

Motivational and cognitive predictors of apathy after subthalamic nucleus stimulation in Parkinson's disease.

Postoperative apathy is a frequent symptom in Parkinson's disease patients who have undergone bilateral deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus. Two main hypotheses for postoperative apathy have been suggested: (i) dopaminergic withdrawal syndrome relative to postoperative dopaminergic drug tapering; and (ii) direct effect of chronic stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus. The primary objective of our study was to describe preoperative and 1-year postoperative apathy in Parkinson's disease patients who underwent chronic bilateral deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus.

Freezing of gait depends on cortico-subthalamic network recruitment following STN-DBS in PD patients.

Introduction: Subthalamic deep-brain-stimulation (STN-DBS) is an effective means to treat Parkinson's disease (PD) symptoms. Its benefit on gait disorders is variable, with freezing of gait (FOG) worsening in about 30% of cases. Here, we investigate the clinical and anatomical features that could explain post-operative FOG.

Can Dopamine Responsiveness Be Predicted in Parkinson's Disease Without an Acute Administration Test?

Background: Dopamine responsiveness (dopa-sensitivity) is an important parameter in the management of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). For quantification of this parameter, patients undergo a challenge test with acute Levodopa administration after drug withdrawal, which may lead to patient discomfort and use of significant resources.

Objective: Our objective was to develop a predictive model combining clinical scores and imaging.

Heterogeneity of PD-MCI in Candidates to Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation: Associated Cortical and Subcortical Modifications.

Background: Parkinson's disease mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) is frequent and heterogenous. There is no consensus about its influence on subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) outcomes.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of PD-MCI and its subtypes in candidates to STN-DBS.

Design and Simulation of a Passive Absorber to Reduce Measured Postural Tremor Signal.

Tremor is a semirhythmic oscillatory movement of a body part caused by alternating simultaneous contractions of an antagonistic muscle group. Medical and surgical treatments used to reduce the symptoms of involuntary tremor can cause negative side effects. This study examined the ability of passive vibration absorbers in reducing the amplitude of postural tremor (PT).

Personality Related to Quality-of-Life Improvement After Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease (PSYCHO-STIM II).

Background: Deep brain stimulation of the sub-thalamic nucleus (DBS-STN) reduces symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with motor fluctuations. However, some patients may not feel ameliorated afterwards, despite an objective motor improvement. It is thus important to find new predictors of patients' quality of life (QoL) amelioration after DBS-STN.

Preoperative REM Sleep Behavior Disorder and Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation Outcome in Parkinson Disease 1 Year After Surgery.

Background And Objectives: To determine whether patients with Parkinson disease (PD) eligible for subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) with probable REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) preoperatively could be more at risk of poorer motor, nonmotor, and quality of life outcomes 12 months after surgery compared to those without RBD.

Methods: We analyzed the preoperative clinical profile of 448 patients with PD from a French multicentric prospective study (PREDISTIM) according to the presence or absence of probable RBD based on the RBD Single Question and RBD Screening Questionnaire. Among the 215 patients with PD with 12 months of follow-up after STN-DBS, we compared motor, cognitive, psycho-behavioral profile, and quality of life outcomes in patients with (pre-opRBD+) or without (pre-opRBD-) probable RBD preoperatively.

Long-term effect of apomorphine infusion in advanced Parkinson's disease: a real-life study.

Long-term effects of continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion (CSAI) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and predictors of CSAI discontinuation are poorly known. Data from consecutive advanced Parkinson's disease patients treated in routine care were retrospectively collected over 24 months after CSAI initiation, with a focus on the 39-item Parkinson's disease questionnaire (PDQ-39). We determined predictors of CSAI discontinuation and HRQoL improvement using multiple regression analysis.

Personality dimensions of patients can change during the course of parkinson's disease.

Background: Studies assessing personality dimensions by the "Temperament and Character Inventory" (TCI) have previously found an association between Parkinson's disease (PD) and lower Novelty Seeking and higher Harm Avoidance scores. Here, we aimed to describe personality dimensions of PD patients with motor fluctuations and compare them to a normative population and other PD populations.

Methods: All PD patients awaiting Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) answered the TCI before neurosurgery.

Antisaccade, a predictive marker for freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease and gait/gaze network connectivity.

Freezing of gait is a challenging sign of Parkinson's disease associated with disease severity and progression and involving the mesencephalic locomotor region. No predictive factor of freezing has been reported so far. The primary objective of this study was to identify predictors of freezing occurrence at 5 years.

Whispering dysphonia in TUBB4A-related disorders responsive to bipallidal deep brain stimulation.

Background: Mutations in TUBB4A are associated with a wide phenotypic spectrum including generalized dystonia with whispering dysphonia (DYT-TUBB4A).

Methods: We report the case of a 44-year-old patient with DYT-TUBB4A with a clinical presentation of disabling progressive dystonia, with a prominent laryngeal, cervical and facial involvement.

Results: Bipallidal deep brain stimulation (DBS) resulted in a 55% reduction of dystonia severity assessed by the Burke-Fahn-Marsden scale score 6 months after surgery.

Impact of Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation on Impulse Control Disorders in Parkinson's Disease: A Prospective Study.

Background: Impact of subthalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) on impulse control disorders (ICD) in Parkinson's disease (PD) remains controversial.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to analyze the natural history of ICD between baseline and 1 year after subthalamic DBS in patients with PD and to identify predictive factors, taking into account the positions of the active contact and stimulation parameters.

Methods: We analyzed postoperative modifications of ICD based on the multicentric, prospective Predictive Factors and Subthalamic Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease cohort.

Personality Dimensions Are Associated with Quality of Life in Fluctuating Parkinson's Disease Patients (PSYCHO-STIM).

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) negatively affects patients' Quality of Life (QoL) which depends on both objective criteria such as physical health and subjective ones such as worries and norms according to personal believes. Therefore, QoL could be also associated to personality dimensions in chronic neurological diseases such as PD.

Objective: Our objective was thus to study the potential association between personality dimensions and QoL in PD patients with motor fluctuations before Deep Brain Stimulation of the Sub-Thalamic Nucleus (DBS-STN).