Striatal and Extrastriatal Monoaminergic Disruption in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

Background: As a biomarker targeting vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2), F-9-fluoropropyldihydrotetrabenazine (F-FP-DTBZ) positron emission tomography (PET) is highly accurate in diagnosing Parkinson's disease (PD) and assessing its severity. However, evidence is insufficient in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).

Objective: We evaluated the striatal and extrastriatal monoaminergic disruption of PSP and differences in patterns between patients with PSP, PD, and healthy controls (HCs) using F-FP-DTBZ PET, as well as its correlations with the clinical characteristics of PSP.

A large survey on COVID-19 vaccination in patients with Parkinson's disease and healthy population.

Background: A full rollout of COVID-19 vaccination offers the most promising prospect of bringing the pandemic to an end. This study aimed to compare the coverage, safety, and confidence of COVID-19 vaccination between patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and healthy individuals so as to give suggestions for future immunization programs.

Methods: A web-based, nationwide, multicenter survey was carried out in China from 2021 to 2022.

High-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Over the Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Shortly Alleviates Fatigue in Patients With Multiple System Atrophy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Fatigue is a common symptom in patients with Multiple system atrophy (MSA), but effective treatments remain elusive. The present study aims to investigate whether high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) could relieve fatigue in patients with MSA. This is a single-center, randomized and double-blind trial.

Detection of Motor Dysfunction With Wearable Sensors in Patients With Idiopathic Rapid Eye Movement Disorder.

Patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) are at high risk for conversion to synucleinopathy and Parkinson disease (PD). This can potentially be monitored by measuring gait characteristics of iRBD patients, although quantitative data are scarce and previous studies have reported inconsistent findings. This study investigated subclinical gait changes in polysomnography-proven iRBD patients compared to healthy controls (HCs) during 3 different walking conditions using wearable motor sensors in order to determine whether gait changes can be detected in iRBD patients that could reflect early symptoms of movement disorder.

High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation over the primary motor cortex relieves musculoskeletal pain in patients with Parkinson's disease: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Pain is common in Parkinson's disease, and there is no effective treatment. We conducted a clinical trial to determine whether high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation over the primary motor cortex alleviates musculoskeletal pain in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Methods: In this single-center and double-blind trial, 52 patients with Parkinson's disease and musculoskeletal pain were randomly allocated to 26-member groups receiving 5 sessions of either 20-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation or sham stimulation over the primary motor cortex.

Systemic activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and plasma α-synuclein levels are correlated with motor severity and progression in Parkinson's disease.

Background: Emerging evidence indicates that inflammasome-induced inflammation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Several proteins including α-synuclein trigger the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. However, few studies examined whether inflammasomes are activated in the periphery of PD patients and their possible value in the diagnosis or tracking of the progress of PD.

Prevalence of pre-diagnostic symptoms did not differ between LRRK2-related, GBA-related and idiopathic patients with Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: Glucocerebrosidase (GBA) mutations and leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) variants are the most common genetic risk factors for late-onset Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study, we aimed to investigate the differences in pre-diagnostic symptoms of PD associated with the variants.

Methods: The participants were recruited from 24 centers across China and genotyped for LRRK2 G2385R and R1628P variants and GBA L444P mutation.

Impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease in a Chinese population.

Background: Dopamine agonists have been used as first-line treatments for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) during its early stage, and several impulse control disorder (ICD) behaviors have been reported to be associated with their use.

Objective: To investigate the association between ICD behaviors and the use of agonists in Chinese patients with PD and associated risk factors.

Methods: Self-report screening questionnaires were mailed to 400 PD patients treated with anti-parkinsonian drugs in our clinical database and their spouses (served as control group).

[PINK1 IVS5-5 G>A polymorphism may contribute to the risk of late onset Parkinson disease in Chinese].

Objective: To investigate the possible association of IVS5-5G>A polymorphism, positioned in the upstream region of exon 5 of PINK1 gene with the risk for sporadic late onset Parkinson disease (LOPD) in Chinese.

Methods: Intronic regulatory sequence analysis was performed using the web-based in-silico analysis. The authors performed an association study using a case-control series (comprising 382 LOPD patients and 336 controls, Chinese of Han ancestry).

[Clinical significance of plasma homocysteine in the coronary atherosclerosis patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical significance of plasma homocysteine Hcy in patients with coronary atherosclerosis. METHODS Plasma Hcy levels of 85 patients with coronary atherosclerosis and 68 normal controls were determined by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. RESULTS The mean levels of plasma Hcy were (9.