[Ulysses in the medical literature].

Introduction: Cultural manifestations are frequently used as a source of descriptors in the field of the health sciences. The story of Odysseus (Ulysses) is one of the oldest and most influential works of world literature and has given rise to many subsequent creations, with strong roots in popular culture.

Aims: To consider the use of the story of Odysseus in the medical literature, to describe the terms in which it is used, and to discuss its relevance.

Inter-rater variability in motor function assessment in Parkinson's disease between experts in movement disorders and nurses specialising in PD management.

Introduction And Objective: In clinical practice, assessing patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex, time-consuming task. Our purpose is to provide a rigorous and objective evaluation of how motor function in PD patients is assessed by neurologists specialising in movement disorders, on the one hand, and by nurses specialising in PD management, on the other.

Methods: We conducted an observational, cross-sectional, single-centre study of 50 patients with PD (52% men; mean age: 64.

[Gastroparesis and other gastrointestinal symptoms in Parkinson's disease].

Different gastrointestinal symptoms, such as excessive salivation, deterioration and other disorders affecting the teeth, dysphagia, gastroparesis, gastroesophageal reflux, constipation, difficult defecation or loss of weight are frequent events in all the stages of the development of Parkinson's disease and affect at least a third of the patients. These symptoms reflect the dysfunction of the enteric nervous system, and the stomach is one of the organs where alpha-synuclein is first deposited. Other factors, such as the dysfunction of structures in the central nervous system like the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagal nerve, hormonal factors or secondary effects deriving from the consumption of antiparkinsonian drugs, are involved in its origin.

[Management of complications related to intraduodenal infusion of levodopa/carbidopa in patients with Parkinson's disease].

Continuous infusion of intraduodenal levodopa/carbidopa is an effective treatment that improves the motor complications and the quality of life of patients in the advanced stages of Parkinson's disease. However, it is not free of complications. These may present in the post-operative period following surgery (gastrostomy) or in the long-term during the follow-up period and can be related with the medication (levodopa/carbidopa), the stoma, the gastrostomy or the device (pump, enteral tube, parts of the FREKA system).

[Pain in Parkinson's disease: prevalence, characteristics, associated factors, and relation with other non motor symptoms, quality of life, autonomy, and caregiver burden].

Introduction: Pain is one of the most common non motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, it is underrecognized. We examine the prevalence of pain, characteristics, associated factors, and relation with quality of life and autonomy in a consecutive series of PD patients.