[Camptocormia disclosing Parkinson's disease]

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Movement Disorders

Background:

• Camptocormia is an acquired stooped posture, primarily affecting the trunk, that resolves when lying down.
• It is recognized as a late-stage complication in Parkinson's disease (PD).

Observation:

• A 77-year-old woman presented with severe, rapidly progressing camptocormia impacting gait.
• Initial presentation lacked typical PD signs, but DAT-Scan revealed reduced dopamine transporter levels in the putamen.

Findings:

• Parkinson's disease was clinically diagnosed weeks later with the onset of bradykinesia.
• Levodopa treatment improved bradykinesia but did not alleviate the camptocormia.
• One-year follow-up confirmed persistent camptocormia with only mild bradykinesia as the PD manifestation.

Implications:

• This case suggests camptocormia may precede or present atypically in Parkinson's disease.
• Early neuroimaging may aid in diagnosing PD in patients with isolated camptocormia.
• Camptocormia's resistance to Levodopa treatment in this case warrants further investigation.