Parkinson's disease (PD) patients have a significantly higher risk of developing dementia in later disease stages, leading to severe impairments in quality of life and self-functioning. Questions ...remain on how deep brain stimulation (DBS) affects cognition, and whether we can individualize therapy and reduce the risk for adverse cognitive effects. Our aim in this systematic review is to assess the current knowledge in the field and determine if the findings could influence clinical practice.
We have conducted a systematic review according to PRISMA guidelines through MEDLINE and Embase databases, with studies being selected for inclusion
a set inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Sixty-seven studies were included in this systematic review according to the selected criteria. This includes 6 meta-analyses, 18 randomized controlled trials, 17 controlled clinical trials, and 26 observational studies with no control arms. The total number of PD patients encompassed in the studies cited in this review is 3677, not including the meta-analyses.
Cognitive function in PD patients can deteriorate, in most cases mildly, but still impactful to the quality of life. The strongest evidence is present for deterioration in verbal fluency, while inconclusive evidence is still present for executive function, memory, attention and processing speed. Global cognition does not appear to be significantly impacted by DBS, especially if cognitive screening is performed prior to the procedure, as lower baseline cognitive function is connected to poor outcomes. Further randomized controlled studies are required to increase the level of evidence, especially in the case of globus pallidus internus DBS, pedunculopontine nucleus DBS, and the ventral intermediate nucleus of thalamus DBS, and more long-term studies are required for all respective targets.
In this perspective article, we highlight the possible applicability of genetic testing in Parkinson's disease and dystonia patients treated with deep brain stimulation (DBS). DBS, a neuromodulatory ...technique employing electrical stimulation, has historically targeted motor symptoms in advanced PD and dystonia, yet its precise mechanisms remain elusive. Genetic insights have emerged as potential determinants of DBS efficacy. Known PD genes such as GBA, SNCA, LRRK2, and PRKN are most studied, even though further studies are required to make firm conclusions. Variable outcomes depending on genotype is present in genetic dystonia, as DYT-TOR1A, NBIA/DYTPANK2, DYT-SCGE and X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism have demonstrated promising outcomes following GPi-DBS, while varying outcomes have been documented in DYT-THAP1. We present two clinical vignettes that illustrate the applicability of genetics in clinical practice, with one PD patient with compound GBA mutations and one GNAL dystonia patient. Integrating genetic testing into clinical practice is pivotal, particularly with advancements in next-generation sequencing. However, there is a clear need for further research, especially in rarer monogenic forms. Our perspective is that applying genetics in PD and dystonia is possible today, and despite challenges, it has the potential to refine patient selection and enhance treatment outcomes.
Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder that affects motor function, autonomic functions, and cognitive abilities. It is likely that both genetic and environmental factors, along with age, ...contribute to the cause. However, there is no comprehensive guideline for genetic testing for Parkinson's disease, and more research is needed to understand genetic variations in different populations. There has been no research on the genetic background of Parkinson's disease in Croatia so far. Therefore, with the GiOPARK project, we aimed to investigate the genetic variants responsible for Parkinson's disease in 153 Croatian patients with early onset, familial onset, and sporadic late-onset using whole-exome sequencing, along with multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification and Sanger sequencing in select patients. We found causative variants in 7.84% of the patients, with GBA being the most common gene (4.58%), followed by PRKN (1.96%), ITM2B (0.65%), and MAPT (0.65%). Moreover, variants of uncertain significance were identified in 26.14% of the patients. The causative variants were found in all three subgroups, indicating that genetic factors play a role in all the analyzed Parkinson's disease subtypes. This study emphasizes the need for more inclusive research and improved guidelines to better understand the genetic basis of Parkinson's disease and facilitate more effective clinical management.
To assess the effect of social isolation due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on physical and mental health of Parkinson's disease patients treated at the University Hospital ...Center Rijeka.
This cross-sectional telephone study involved Parkinson's disease patients who had at least one control examination at University Hospital Center Rijeka in 2020 and were Croatian citizens. A questionnaire was used to obtain data on the socio-demographic characteristics and the severity of motor, anxiety, depression, and non-motor symptoms.
The final sample included 87 patients. Most patients reported subjective worsening of motor symptoms. Patients who lived alone had worse motor scores than those not living alone. The majority of patients reported worsening of anxiety symptoms. Significant worsening of anxiety symptoms was found in patients who lived alone, had a longer disease duration, and had avoided check-ups. Fewer patients had depression symptoms than motor and anxiety symptoms. Significantly higher Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores were observed in patients with a longer disease duration. Significant worsening of non-motor symptoms was identified in patients who lived alone, were less educated, had a longer disease duration, and had a higher Charlson comorbidity index.
Patients who live alone, have longer disease duration, are less educated, avoid check-ups, and have more comorbidities are more vulnerable to the negative effects of social isolation.
Our aim was to determine the frequency and characteristics of neurological post-COVID-19 syndrome and the diagnostic and therapeutic measures that were used for the treatment of these patients. Data ...were collected for 243 patients examined during the period of 11 May 2021 to 22 June 2022. The inclusion criteria were COVID-19 illness and neurological symptoms associated with COVID-19. The exclusion criteria were non-neurological symptoms, patients who did not suffer from COVID-19, and symptoms that occurred after vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Data for 227 patients with neurological post-COVID-19 symptoms were analyzed. Most patients presented with multiple symptoms, most often headache, cognitive impairment, loss of smell, paresthesia, fatigue, dizziness, and insomnia. Patients were most often referred for consultative examinations, neuroradiological imaging, and EEG. The therapy was mostly symptomatic. Most patients had no change in their symptoms on follow-up visits (53.21%), while positive outcome was found in 44.95% of patients. This study found that neurological post-COVID-19 syndrome appears to be more common in women, and generally, the most common symptoms are headache and cognitive impairment. The gender distribution of symptoms was clearly visible and should be further investigated. There is a need for longitudinal follow-up studies to better understand the disease dynamic.
Duboka mozgovna stimulacija (DBS) vodeća je kirurška metoda u liječenju bolesnika s uznapredovanom Parkinsonovom bolešću (PD). Neurorehabilitacijom nakon ugradnje DBS uređaja nastoji se oboljelima ...omogućiti normalno funkcioniranje u svakodnevnim interakcijama i aktivnostima te na taj način unaprijediti kvalitetu života. U procesu neurorehabilitacije sudjeluje multidisciplinarni tim koji čine neurolog, fizioterapeut i logoped. Uloga neurologa u ovome procesu je prilagođavanje parametara DBS uređaja te prilagodba farmakološke terapije. Uloga fizioterapeuta je održavanje i obnavljanje maksimalne funkcionalne pokretljivosti i sposobnosti, dok je uloga logopeda terapija poremećaja govora na koji DBS ima specifičan utjecaj.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is the most common surgical treatment for patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD). Following surgery, neurorehabilitation aims to help patients function properly in daily interactions and activities, and thus improve their quality of life. The neurorehabilitation process is overseen by a multidisciplinary team that includes a neurologist, physiotherapist, and speech therapist. The role of neurologist is to change the DBS device’s parameters as well as the pharmacological therapy. The role of the physiotherapist is to maintain and restore maximum functional mobility and ability, while the role of the speech therapist is to assist with speech issues on which DBS can have a significant impact.
Dystonia is a movement disorder characterized by sustained or intermittent muscle contractions, leading to abnormal involuntary movements or postures. Although the pathogenesis of dystonia is not ...entirely understood, lack of intracortical inhibition, aberrant sensory integration and derangement of neural plasticity are known to contribute. Etiologically, dystonia can be idiopathic, acquired or heredi- tary, most commonly occurring with TOR1A, THAP1, GCH1, and KMT2B mutations. The clas- sification of dystonia is based on two main axes: clinical features (Axis I) and etiology (Axis II). When it comes to treatment a variety of therapeutic options are available, including oral medication therapy, intramuscular injections of botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs), physical and occupational therapy and invasive neurosurgical treatment. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established neurosurgical treat- ment for medication-refractory dystonia. As more evidence suggests that DBS treatment outcomes may be related to a hereditary basis, genotype determination is an important factor to consider in patient selection and prognostic counselling.
