Perceptions of a Videogame-Based Dance Exercise Program Among Individuals with Parkinson's Disease.

Objective: Physical therapy, including exercise, improves gait and quality of life in Parkinson's disease (PD). Many programs promoting physical activity have generated significant short-term gains, but adherence has been a problem. A recent evidence-based analysis of clinical trials using physical therapy in PD patients produced four key treatment recommendations: cognitive movement strategies, physical capacity, balance training, and cueing.

Pupillary unrest correlates with arousal symptoms and motor signs in Parkinson disease.

Background: Arousal symptoms (e.g., sleepiness) are common in Parkinson's disease, and pupillary unrest (spontaneous changes in pupil diameter) is positively associated with sleepiness.

Autonomic insufficiency in pupillary and cardiovascular systems in Parkinson's disease.

Background: In Parkinson's disease (PD), neurodegenerative changes have been observed in autonomic pathways involving multiple organ systems. We explore pupillary and cardiac autonomic measures as physiological manifestations of PD neurodegeneration.

Methods: Pupil measures (pupillary unrest (spontaneous changes of pupil diameter in darkness), constriction velocity and redilation velocity) were assessed in 35 participants (17 PD, 18 controls).

Cognitive correlates of brain MRI subcortical signal hyperintensities in non-demented elderly.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) subcortical gray and capsular (SGCH) and white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and cognitive functions in non-demented community dwelling elderly.

Methods: The severity of SGCH and WMH on proton density and T2 MR images in 16 subjects was scored using the semi-quantitative rating scale of Scheltens et al. (1993).

Effects of donepezil on compulsive hypersexual behavior in Parkinson disease: a single case study.

Hypersexuality is a known, though not frequently publicized, behavioral disturbance in patients with Parkinson disease. Hypersexuality has been associated with dopaminergic drug therapy. We describe a patient with Parkinson disease who presented with compulsive hypersexual behavior.

Cognitive correlates of alterations in acetylcholinesterase in Alzheimer's disease.

We recently reported findings of modest loss of cortical acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in patients with overall mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) using N-[11C]methyl-pi-peridin-4-yl propionate ([11C]PMP) AChE positron emission tomography (PET). To determine cognitive correlates of in vivo cortical AChE activity in patients with mild to moderate AD (n=15), and in normal controls (NC, n=12) using [11C]PMP AChE PET imaging. Mean cortical AChE activity in the AD subjects was mildly reduced (-11.

Predictive models of postural control based on electronic force platform measures in patients with Parkinson's disease.

The human postural control system is difficult to quantify since it seems to be subject to both deterministic forces as well as stochastic effects. The attempt made in this paper is to study postural control under quiet stance on the one hand, and by engaging the brain through a fluency test, on the other. A Kistler electronic platform is the vehicle by way of which we gather observations in the form of center of pressure (COP) trajectories.

Cortical cholinergic function is more severely affected in parkinsonian dementia than in Alzheimer disease: an in vivo positron emission tomographic study.

Background: Pathology reports have shown that cholinergic forebrain neuronal losses in parkinsonian dementia (PDem) are equal to or greater than those in Alzheimer disease (AD). We hypothesized that patients with PDem would have cholinergic deficits that were similar to or greater than those of patients with AD.

Objective: To determine in vivo cortical acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in healthy control subjects and in patients with mild AD, PDem, and Parkinson disease without dementia using AChE positron emission tomography.