Functional outcomes of an integrated Parkinson's Disease Wellbeing Program.

Introduction: There is growing evidence that exercise provides benefit in treating motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD).

Objectives: The aims of this study were to determine (a) whether a 5-week PD-specific program resulted in sustained physical and psychosocial benefits, and (b) the relationship between patient characteristics, exercise, falls and physical and psychosocial parameters.

Design: Single-centre prospective observational study.

Impact of small vessel disease on severity of motor and cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease.

Background: Subcortical small vessel disease and vascular risk factors are associated with motor and cognitive impairment. In this study we examined the relationship between these factors and the severity of motor impairment and dementia in pathologically-confirmed Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: The extent and severity of small vessel disease (SVD) was assessed pathologically in 77 patients with PD.

The Effect of Biofeedback as a Psychological Intervention in Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Background: Relaxation, mindfulness, social support, and education (RMSSE) have been shown to improve emotional symptoms, coping, and fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS). Biofeedback was trialed as a psychological intervention, designed to improve self-control, in two groups of patients with MS. Both groups received RMSSE, and one group additionally received biofeedback.

Rebound exacerbation multiple sclerosis following cessation of oral treatment.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) management is changing, revolutionized by oral agents. Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (IRIS) describes exaggerated response to both exogenous (infective) and endogenous (non-infective) antigens.

Methods: This paper reports two cases of MS "rebound" following withdrawal of oral treatments.

Small-vessel disease in patients with Parkinson's disease: a clinicopathological study.

Few studies have examined the relationship between cerebrovascular disease, vascular risk factors, and Parkinson's disease (PD), although 1 study found small-vessel disease (SVD) to be the main subtype of cerebrovascular disease. In this study we compared the extent and topography of SVD and assessed associated vascular risk factors in autopsy-proven PD cases and community-dwelling controls. Seventy-seven PD and 32 control brains from the Sydney Brain Bank were assessed microscopically by a single examiner blinded to the diagnosis.

Positional vomiting due to a thoracic spinal dural arteriovenous fistula. Case report.

The authors report the unique case of a patient with a thoracic spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) causing remote brainstem symptoms of positional vomiting and minimal vertigo. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brain demonstrated high signal abnormality in the medulla, presumably related to venous hypertension, and spinal MR imaging revealed markedly dilated veins along the dorsal aspect of the cord. Spinal angiography confirmed the presence of a thoracic spinal DAVF.

Evoked potentials elicited by stimulation of the lateral and anterior femoral cutaneous nerves in meralgia paresthetica.

Seventy-five consecutive patients with clinical symptoms and signs of meralgia paresthetica underwent bilateral somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) studies involving stimulation of skin areas innervated by the lateral and anterior femoral cutaneous nerves of the thighs. The most common abnormality was an absolute lateral femoral cutaneous SEP latency > 40 ms in 35 patients (47%), followed by an absent response in 14 patients (19%), an absolute latency < 40 ms but amplitude reduction > 50% compared with the contralateral response in 8 patients (11%), and an absolute latency < 40 ms but > 5 ms interside latency difference in 5 patients (7%). Anterior femoral cutaneous SEPs were of value in distinguishing meralgia paresthetica from a proximal lumbar radiculopathy in an additional 4 patients and confirming bilateral meralgia paresthetica in 10 patients.