BACKGROUND Dizziness is a frequent complaint of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), and orthostatic hypotension (OH) is often thought to be the cause. We studied whether benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) could also be an explanation. AIM To assess the prevalence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in patients with Parkinson's disease, with and without dizziness. METHODS 30...

Postural instability is one of the hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate and analyze objectively the effect of different sensory and motor components on postural instability in PD and to determine the validity of using different scales as the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Push and Release test as val...

Introduction: We investigated correlation between the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and the severity of Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods: In this study, the RNFL thickness of 23 patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) was compared to normal controls (NCs). PD severity was assessed by the MDS-UPDRS (movement disorder society Unified Parkinson Disea...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of ventroposterior pallidotomy on motor disability and on behavior and cognition in patients with medically intractable idiopathic Parkinson disease. DESIGN Detailed motor testing both while receiving and discontinuing levodopa medication, posturography, and neurocognitive and behavioral assessments were performed before and 3 to 6 months after unilateral ven...

BACKGROUND Data from an open label randomised controlled trial have suggested possible advantages on both motor and non-motor measures in patients with Parkinson's disease following 12 months exposure to exenatide. OBJECTIVE Continued follow up of these same patients was performed to investigate whether these possible advantages persisted in the prolonged absence of this medication. METHODS...

OBJECTIVE Subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective treatment of choice for patients with advanced idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) who have motor complication with medication. The objectives of this study are to analyze long-term follow-up data of STN DBS cases and to identify the factors related to outcomes. METHODS Fifty-two PD patients who underwent STN DBS...

An objective assessment of the clinical findings in patients with Huntington's disease (HD) is necessary for an evaluation of the longitudinal progression of the disease features. The Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) is a scale to assess clinical performance and functional capacity. The authors examined the 1-year change in UHDRS scores in 78 patients with HD examined either in...

The Movement Disorder Society Task Force for Rating Scales for Parkinson's Disease prepared a critique of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Strengths of the UPDRS include its wide utilization, its application across the clinical spectrum of PD, its nearly comprehensive coverage of motor symptoms, and its clinimetric properties, including reliability and validity. Weaknesses ...