Introduction: A diagnosis of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) currently requires confirmation with polysomnography (PSG). However, PSG may not be sufficiently available. In these situations, a clinical diagnostic measure might be useful.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Idiopathic focal dystonia is a motor syndrome associated with dysfunction of basal ganglia circuits. Observations have suggested that many other non-motor symptoms may also be part of the clinical picture. The aim was to assess the prevalence and correlation of non-motor symptoms in patients with common idiopathic focal or segmental dystonia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: Sleep disorders can be associated with an increased risk for cognitive decline in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this study was to examine the association between cognitive status and presence of sleep symptoms and sleep disorders in PD patients.
Methods: We evaluated excessive sleepiness, other sleep symptoms, and performed polysomnography and neuropsychological evaluation in 79 patients.
Introduction: Excessive sleepiness (ES) can affect up to 60% of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, and it has a multifactorial etiology. It is related to the neurodegenerative processes affecting brain regions responsible for the sleep-wake cycle, the effects of drugs acting on the central nervous system, and the excessive sleep fragmentation of this population.
Objectives: To identify the factors associated with the presence of ES in patients with PD.
Depression is the most common psychiatric disorder in Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this study was to compare PD patients with current Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), lifetime MDD, and no MDD using three neuroimaging techniques. A total of 43 PD patients were selected and divided into three groups: (i) current MDD (n = 15), (ii) previous MDD without current MDD (n = 10); and (iii) control group (no current or lifetime MDD; n = 18).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The aim of the present study is to examine the accuracy of the Brazilian versions of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R) to screen for mild cognitive impairment (PDMCI) and dementia (PDD) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).
Method: Both scales were administered to a final convenience sample of 79 patients with PD. Patients were evaluated by a neurologist, a psychiatrist and a neuropsychologist using UPDRS, Hoehn and Yahr and Schwab and England scales, global deterioration scale, a psychiatric structured interview, Mattis Dementia Rating Scale and other cognitive tests.
Objective And Background: Excessive fragmentary myoclonus (EFM) is characterized by subtle arrhythmic and excessive jerks that are usually asymmetric and asynchronous. EFM occurs in different areas of the body, mainly the face and distal parts of the arms and legs, and is detected by surface electromyography during sleep. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of EFM in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients at a tertiary level outpatient clinic as well as to describe the clinical and polysomnographic profiles of these patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Parkinson's disease (PD) has a progressive course and is characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Although no neuroprotective treatments for PD have been found to date, the endocannabinoid system has emerged as a promising target.
Methods: From a sample of 119 patients consecutively evaluated in a specialized movement disorders outpatient clinic, we selected 21 PD patients without dementia or comorbid psychiatric conditions.