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Motor neuron disease with parkinsonism
A I Qureshi1, G Wilmot, B Dihenia
1Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga, USA.
Archives of Neurology
|October 1, 1996
Summary
This study examines patients with both parkinsonism and motor neuron disease (MND), suggesting a shared cause. Recognizing parkinsonism symptoms in MND patients may improve treatment with levodopa.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neurodegenerative Diseases
Background:
- Investigating the clinical presentation of patients with co-occurring parkinsonism and motor neuron disease (MND).
- Understanding the potential shared etiology between these two distinct neurological conditions.
Observation:
- Reviewed medical charts of 13 patients diagnosed with both parkinsonism and MND.
- All patients exhibited evidence of both upper and lower motor neuron degeneration.
- Parkinsonian features were present at or before MND diagnosis in most cases.
Findings:
- Median age of patients was 68 years, with a near-equal gender distribution.
- Levodopa treatment showed improvement in 5 of 11 patients.
- Absence of dementia and autonomic dysfunction was noted in all cases.
- Neuropathology revealed substantia nigra degeneration with Lewy bodies.
Implications:
- The concurrent onset of MND and parkinsonism suggests a common underlying pathogenic mechanism.
- Early recognition of parkinsonism in MND patients is crucial for potential therapeutic interventions, such as levodopa.