Evaluation of movement and brain activity.

Clinical neurophysiology studies can contribute important information about the physiology of human movement and the pathophysiology and diagnosis of different movement disorders. Some techniques can be accomplished in a routine clinical neurophysiology laboratory and others require some special equipment. This review, initiating a series of articles on this topic, focuses on the methods and techniques.

Efficacy and safety of N-acetyl-L-leucine in Niemann-Pick disease type C.

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of N-acetyl-L-leucine (NALL) on symptoms, functioning, and quality of life in pediatric (≥ 6 years) and adult Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) patients.

Methods: In this multi-national, open-label, rater-blinded Phase II study, patients were assessed during a baseline period, a 6-week treatment period (orally administered NALL 4 g/day in patients ≥ 13 years, weight-tiered doses for patients 6-12 years), and a 6-week post-treatment washout period. The primary Clinical Impression of Change in Severity (CI-CS) endpoint (based on a 7-point Likert scale) was assessed by blinded, centralized raters who compared randomized video pairs of each patient performing a pre-defined primary anchor test (8-Meter Walk Test or 9-Hole Peg Test) during each study periods.

Dynamic posturography and posturographic training for Parkinson's disease in a routine clinical setting.

Background: Postural instability in Parkinson's disease (PD) often is ill-responsive to drugs and DBS. Physiotherapy is recommended but practicability and cost effectiveness are debatable.

Research Question: Can a simple 'plug and play' posturography system produce clinically meaningful measures and elicit postural motor learning in PD patients?

Methods: 40 moderately affected PD patients in a general neurology outpatient clinic who complained of postural instability were included to practice shifts and stabilization of the center of pressure (COP) in a low intensity (once weekly 20-25 minutes over 6 weeks) dynamic posturographic training using the Biodex balance system.

Moderate Frequency Resistance and Balance Training Do Not Improve Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease: A Pilot Study.

Individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) and Freezing of Gait (FOG) have impaired postural control, which relate to the severity of FOG. The aim of this study was to analyze whether a moderate frequency resistance (RT) and balance training (BT), respectively, are effective to diminish FOG. This sub-analysis of a randomized controlled training intervention study of PD patients with and without FOG reports about results from FOG patients.

Cerebello-cortical network fingerprints differ between essential, Parkinson's and mimicked tremors.

Cerebello-thalamo-cortical loops play a major role in the emergence of pathological tremors and voluntary rhythmic movements. It is unclear whether these loops differ anatomically or functionally in different types of tremor. We compared age- and sex-matched groups of patients with Parkinson's disease or essential tremor and healthy controls (n = 34 per group).