Vitamin D and Parkinson's Disease.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble secosteroid, traditionally considered a key regulator of bone metabolism, calcium and phosphorous homeostasis. Its action is made possible through the binding to the vitamin D receptor (VDR), after which it directly and indirectly modulates the expression of thousands of genes. Vitamin D is important for brain development, mature brain activity and associated with many neurological diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD).

Impaired circadian heart rate variability in Parkinson's disease: a time-domain analysis in ambulatory setting.

Background: Heart rate variability (HRV) decreases in Parkinson's disease (PD) and it can be considered a marker for cardiovascular dysautonomia. The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate long-term time-domain analysis of HRV of PD patients and compare the results with those of matched healthy individuals.

Methods: Idiopathic PD patients without comorbidity impairing HRV, and age-matched healthy individuals were recruited in a pilot study.

Urological dysfunctions in patients with Parkinson's disease: clues from clinical and non-invasive urological assessment.

Background: Autonomic nervous system dysfunction, common in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), causes significant morbidity and it is correlated with poor quality of life. To assess frequency of urinary symptoms in patients with PD, without conditions known to interfere with urinary function.

Methods: Non-demented PD patients were consecutively enrolled from the outpatients clinic of our department.

Frequency and determinants for hemorrhagic transformation of posterior cerebral stroke : Posterior ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic transformation.

Background: hemorrhagic transformation is a threatening ischemic stroke complication. Frequency of hemorrhagic transformation differs greatly among studies, and its risk factors have been usually studied in patients with anterior ischemic stroke who received thrombolytic therapy. We evaluated, in a hospital-based series of patients with posterior ischemic stroke not treated with thrombolysis, frequency and risk factors of hemorrhagic transformation.