"Off" gait freezing and temporal discrimination threshold in patients with Parkinson disease
Myung-Sik Lee1, Hyun-Sook Kim, Chul-Hyoung Lyoo
1Department of Neurology, Youngdong Severance Hospital, 146-92 Dogok-dong, Kangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea. myungs56@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
Objective:
To investigate the relationship between temporal discrimination threshold (TDT) and "off" period gait freezing (OGF) in patients with fluctuating Parkinson disease (PD).
Methods:
TDT values were measured at the dorsum of the toes in 11 control subjects and 22 patients with PD with a wearing-off phenomenon (16 patients with OGF and 6 patients without OGF).
Results:
During the l-dopa "off" period, TDT values increased abnormally in both patient groups but were significantly higher in patients with OGF than in those without OGF. A positive correlation was found between the severity of OGF and TDT values measured by different point stimulation. In patients with OGF, a single dose of l-dopa treatment normalized TDT values and ameliorated OGF.
Conclusions:
Dopa-responsive abnormal discriminative sensory processing may be a possible cause of "off" period gait freezing observed in patients with fluctuating Parkinson disease.
Related Concept Videos
Parkinson's Disease: Treatment
Parkinson's Disease is primarily a result of the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. The cornerstone of its...
Parkinson Disease l: Introduction
Parkinson Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Parkinson's Disease: Overview
Alterations in Muscle Tone lll


