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Dynamic Digital Biomarkers of Motor and Cognitive Function in Parkinson's Disease
Published on: July 24, 2019
Motor cortex reorganisation in Parkinson's disease
Gary W Thickbroom1, Michelle L Byrnes, Susan Walters
1Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, University of Western Australia, Brain Research Laboratory, Queen Elizabeth II Medical Center, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia. gthickbr@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
Summary
Parkinson's disease (PD) shows motor cortex reorganization in the hand area, even in early stages. This brain plasticity correlates with symptom severity, suggesting adaptive changes in neural pathways.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Motor Control
Background:
- Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting motor function.
- Cortical reorganisation is a potential adaptive mechanism in neurological conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cortical reorganisation in the motor cortex hand representation in Parkinson's disease patients.
- To determine if PD duration or symptom severity correlates with observed reorganisation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to map motor cortical projections to the hand.
- Assessed patients with Parkinson's disease of varying duration and symptom severity (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale).
Main Results:
- Cortical map shifts were observed in the majority of Parkinson's disease patients (12/15).
- Reorganisation was evident in both early untreated and longer-duration treated PD cases.
- A significant correlation was found between interhemispheric map displacement and PD symptom severity (r=0.60; P=0.018).
Conclusions:
- Parkinson's disease is associated with significant reorganisation of the hand's corticomotor representation, even early in the disease progression.
- This reorganisation may represent a dynamic neural adaptation to increased pallidal inhibitory inputs affecting thalamo-cortical pathways.
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