Fatigue in hypokinetic, hyperkinetic, and functional movement disorders.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Neuroscience
• Medical Research

Background:

• Fatigue is a pervasive and disabling symptom in neurological illnesses, yet its impact remains under-recognized.
• It is a common feature in chronic conditions like Parkinson's disease (PD) and other movement disorders (MDS).
• While fatigue in PD is well-documented, its prevalence and impact in other MDS are less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the prevalence, impact, and clinical correlates of fatigue in common MDS.
• To summarize current hypotheses on the pathophysiological mechanisms of fatigue in MDS.
• To provide an overview of potential treatment options for fatigue in MDS.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on fatigue in movement disorders.
• Analysis of prevalence, impact, and clinical correlates.
• Summary of pathophysiological hypotheses and treatment strategies.

Main Results:

• Fatigue is a prevalent, disabling, primary non-motor symptom in various MDS, including atypical parkinsonisms, dystonia, essential tremor (ET), and functional movement disorders (FMD).
• Obstacles to studying fatigue in MDS include lack of a consensus definition, rigorous measures, and confounding factors like apathy, depression, and sleepiness.
• Fatigue is hypothesized to be a perceptual disorder of the sensorimotor system.

Conclusions:

• Fatigue is a significant and burdensome symptom in MDS that warrants increased clinical and research attention.
• Further investigation is crucial for understanding fatigue's manifestation and pathophysiology.
• Improved diagnosis and treatment strategies for fatigue in MDS are needed.