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Published on: February 21, 2011
Harry Lee Parker and paroxysmal dysarthria and ataxia
James P Klaas1, David B Burkholder, Wolfgang Singer
1Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Objective:
To review descriptions of paroxysmal dysarthria and ataxia in multiple sclerosis (MS), with special attention given to Parker and his 1946 case series.
Methods:
Evaluation of original publications describing paroxysmal dysarthria and ataxia, bibliographic information, writings, and unpublished letters from the Mayo Clinic Historical Unit.
Results:
In 1940, Störring described a patient with MS with paroxysmal symptoms that included dizziness and trouble speaking, but also unilateral extremity weakness. In 1946, Parker published a series of 11 patients with paroxysmal dysarthria and ataxia. Six of these patients had MS, and he recognized this phenomenon as a manifestation of the disease. The term "paroxysmal dysarthria and ataxia" was first used in 1959 by Andermann and colleagues. Since that time, paroxysmal dysarthria and ataxia has become a well-recognized phenomenon in MS. More recent reports have suggested that the responsible lesion is located in the midbrain, near or involving the red nucleus.
Conclusions:
Parker was the first to accurately describe paroxysmal dysarthria and ataxia in patients with MS.
Insights
Parker
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Review of historical descriptions of paroxysmal dysarthria and ataxia in multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Focus on Parker's 1946 case series, which identified six MS patients with these symptoms.
Discussion:
- The term "paroxysmal dysarthria and ataxia" was coined in 1959.
- This phenomenon is now recognized as a manifestation of MS.
Key Insights:
- Parker's 1946 publication was the first accurate description of paroxysmal dysarthria and ataxia in MS patients.
- Lesions in the midbrain, near the red nucleus, are implicated in recent reports.
Outlook:
- Further research into the precise neuroanatomical correlates of paroxysmal dysarthria and ataxia in MS.
- Understanding the pathophysiology may lead to improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for MS.
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