A combined pattern of movement disorders resulting from posterolateral thalamic lesions of a vascular nature: a syndrome with clinico-radiologic correlation.

We report a series of seven patients in whom a combined pattern of complex movement disorders restricted to one upper extremity emerged as a result of posterolateral thalamic lesions of vascular origin. This disorder was mainly characterized by choreiform and dystonic movements associated with variable, rhythmic, alternating movements of low frequency (myorhythmia). All cases showed, on computed tomography scan and/or magnetic resonance imaging, focal lesions involving the posterolateral quadrant of the thalamus.

A clinical, pharmacologic, and polysomnographic study of sleep benefit in Parkinson's disease.

We assessed the effect of sleep benefit on motor performance in Parkinson's disease (PD) and analyzed its relation to pharmacologic and sleep measures. The sleep benefit phenomenon-motor improvement after sleep before drug intake-in patients with PD has been addressed by questionnaire studies, but objective data are scarce. Ten PD patients with sleep benefit were pairwisely matched to 10 PD patients without sleep benefit for gender, age, PD symptom duration, and medications.

Clinical and pharmacological differences in early- versus late-onset Parkinson's disease.

We evaluated whether patients with early-onset Parkinson's disease (EOPD) have a different clinical profile and pharmacological response than those with late-onset disease (LOPD). We performed a retrospective analysis and an acute pharmacological challenge with L-Dopa in 34 EOPD (age at onset between 21 and 40 years) and 34 LOPD (onset after age 60) patients. All patients completed a structured questionnaire cross-checked against medical record charts and underwent an acute levodopa test.

Levodopa-induced dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease: clinical and pharmacological classification.

Levodopa-induced dyskinesias (LID) in Parkinson's disease (PD) may be classified into three main categories: "On" dyskinesias, diphasic dyskinesias (DD), and "off" periods. The study of 168 parkinsonian patients showed that about half (n = 84) showed one pattern of LID only. A combination of two was present in 68, and 16 had the three presentation patterns.

Isoniazid therapy in Parkinson's disease.

The effect of isoniazid on levodopa-induced dyskinesias has been evaluated in 20 patients with Parkinson's disease, following a serendipitous observation that choreic dyskinesias induced by levodopa in one parkinsonian patient were markedly reduced during treatment with isoniazid for tuberculous infection. A mean average isoniazid dose of 290 mg was given without any change in current antiparkinsonian treatment. "Benefit of dose" choreic dyskinesias were markedly reduced in 18 patients within the first few weeks of treatment.