Temperature sensation in Parkinson's disease measured by quantitative sensory testing: a single-center, case-control study.

Background: The pathophysiology of abnormal temperature sensation in Parkinson's disease (PD) remains unclear. Abnormal thermal detection does not seem to depend on the dopaminergic deficit, suggesting that other systems play a role in these changes, probably both central and peripheral.

Methods: We measured thermal detection thresholds (TDT) using quantitative sensory testing (QST) in 28 patients with PD and compared them with 15 healthy controls.

Premotor Parkinson's disease: Overview of clinical symptoms and current diagnostic methods.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by typical motor symptoms. However, recent studies show several non-motor features that may precede the development of the motor symptoms of PD. The best known premotor symptoms include hyposmia, REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), constipation, and depression; other symptoms are excessive daytime somnolence, orthostatic hypotension and symptomatic hypotension, erectile or urinary dysfunction, musculoskeletal symptoms, pain, and global cognitive deficit.

Peripheral neuropathy in Parkinson's disease.

Background: Recent studies suggest an increased frequency of peripheral neuropathy (PN) in Parkinson's disease patients (PD) (Toth et al. 2010). The aim of our study is to verify the increased frequency of PN in our group of PD patients compared to an age-matched control group.