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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Assessment of Sensorimotor Function in Mouse Models of Parkinson's Disease

Assessment of Sensorimotor Function in Mouse Models of Parkinson's Disease

Published on: June 17, 2013

Motor blocks in Parkinson's disease.

N Giladi¹, D McMahon, S Przedborski

¹Neurological Institute, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032.

|February 1, 1992

Summary

Motor blocks (MBs) in Parkinson's disease (PD) affect 32% of patients, often impacting gait. Factors like disease duration and levodopa treatment are associated with MBs, suggesting complex motor task execution issues.

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Published on: July 24, 2019

Area of Science:

Neurology
Movement Disorders
Parkinson's Disease Research

Background:

Freezing episodes, termed motor blocks (MBs), are a poorly understood and disabling challenge in Parkinson's disease (PD).
Limited data exists on the epidemiological and clinical characteristics, as well as risk factors for developing MBs.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the prevalence, characteristics, and risk factors associated with motor blocks in a large cohort of Parkinson's disease patients.
To explore potential pathophysiological links between MBs and other PD symptoms or treatments.

Main Methods:

Database survey of 990 Parkinson's disease patients.
Analysis of patient demographics, clinical symptoms, disease progression markers, and medication history.
Statistical analysis to identify associations between various factors and the presence of MBs.

Main Results:

318 out of 990 (32%) PD patients reported experiencing MBs.
MBs predominantly affected gait, including start hesitation (86%), turning blocks (45%), and narrow space blocks (25%).
Initial symptoms affecting gait or trunk, longer disease duration, higher Hoehn and Yahr stage, and longer levodopa treatment duration were associated with MBs. Initial upper body symptoms or tremor were less associated.
A significant association was found between MBs and levodopa-induced dyskinesias.

Conclusions:

Motor blocks are a common and significant issue in Parkinson's disease, affecting a substantial portion of patients.
Disease progression and levodopa treatment are key factors associated with MBs.
MBs may represent abnormal retrieval or execution of complex motor tasks, potentially sharing pathophysiological mechanisms with levodopa-induced dyskinesias.