Journal of Parkinson's Disease - Volume 3, issue 4

Authors: Bhatt, Mansi A. | Messer, Anne | Kordower, Jeffrey H.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Misfolded proteins and subsequent protein aggregation appears to underlie a significant fraction of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease. One of the neuropathological hallmarks of Parkinson's disease is the presence of α-syn containing intracellular inclusions known as Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites. Intrabodies are antibody fragments that have been engineered to be expressed intracellularly. They can be directed towards specific target antigens present in various subcellular locations, and have shown promise in cancer, HIV, autoimmune diseases, and Huntington's disease. More recently they have been shown to modulate abnormalities caused by aggregated α-syn in cell culture. This mini-review mainly focuses on summarizing …structural and cellular effects of intrabodies shown to have affinity for different forms of α-synuclein (monomeric, oligomeric and fibrillar), as well as those exhibiting affinity for particular residues of α-synuclein (e.g., the NAC region, C terminal region). Show more

Keywords: Alpha-synuclein, intrabodies, nanobodies, Parkinson's disease

DOI: 10.3233/JPD-130252

Citation: Journal of Parkinson's Disease, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 581-591, 2013

Authors: Ellfolk, Ulla | Joutsa, Juho | Rinne, Juha O. | Parkkola, Riitta | Jokinen, Pekka | Karrasch, Mira

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: Free recall memory deficits are common in Parkinson's disease (PD), even at early stages before mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Their association with brain structural changes has not been established. Objective: We studied local gray matter volumes in relation to different memory tasks in early stage PD. Methods: Magnetic resonance images (MRI) and neuropsychological data were obtained from 28 non-demented, medicated PD patients, and 28 healthy controls. The gray matter segments of T1-weighted MRI images were analyzed using voxel-based morphometry in relation to visual and verbal memory tasks. Measures of immediate free recall, verbal learning, delayed recall and memory …consolidation were obtained. A novel measure of incidental memory was included. Results: Patients and controls showed no significant group differences in local gray matter volumes. Voxel-based morphometry analyses revealed that worse performance on an incidental visual memory task was associated with smaller right parietal gray matter volume (Family-wise error corrected P = 0.002). This association was present in the PD group (corrected P = 0.005), but not in controls (corrected P > 0.99). No associations between gray matter volumes and the other memory tasks were found in either group. Conclusions: The results suggest that right parietal cortical gray matter volume is related to free recall memory deficits in early stage PD in conditions not involving an intention to memorize visual items. This preliminary finding needs to be established in further studies utilizing incidental memory tasks in PD. Show more

Keywords: Parkinson's disease, MRI, cognition, memory, parietal lobe, neuropsychology, voxel-based morphometry, incidental memory

DOI: 10.3233/JPD-130276

Citation: Journal of Parkinson's Disease, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 593-601, 2013

Authors: Calleo, Jessica | Williams, James R. | Amspoker, Amber B. | Swearingen, Leah | Hirsch, Elaina S. | Anderson, Karen | Goldstein, Susanne R. | Grill, Stephen | Lehmann, Susan | Little, John T. | Margolis, Russell L. | Palanci, Justin | Pontone, Gregory M. | Weiss, Howard | Rabins, Peter | Marsh, Laura

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: In patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), depressive symptom rating scales facilitate identification of depressive disorders, which are common and disabling. Anxiety disturbances in PD, which lack valid assessment scales, frequently co-occur with PD-depression, are under-recognized, and require different interventions than depressive disorders. Whether high anxiety rates in PD confound depression scale performance or if any depression scales also predict anxiety disturbances is not known. Objective: To test the impact of co-occurring anxiety disorders on psychometric properties of depression rating scales in depressed PD patients and compare disability between PD patients with anxiety, depression, and comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders. …Methods: PD subjects (n = 229) completed self-report and clinician-administered depression scales. Receiver operating characteristic curves were developed to estimate psychometric properties of each scale in those with depression alone, anxiety alone, and comorbid depression and anxiety. Between-group differences on all measures were examined. Results: Comorbid anxiety did not affect the psychometric properties of any scale when identifying depressive disorders, but is associated with greater symptom severity and disability. Depression-scale scores were not significantly different between subjects with anxiety disorders only and those without depressive or anxiety diagnoses. Conclusions: Co-occurring anxiety disorders do not impact performance of depression rating scales in depressed PD patients. However, depression rating scales do not adequately identify anxiety disturbances alone or in patients with depression. Show more

Keywords: Parkinson's disease, depression, anxiety, psychiatric disorder, rating scale

DOI: 10.3233/JPD-130264

Citation: Journal of Parkinson's Disease, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 603-608, 2013

Authors: Gallo, Paul M. | McIsaac, Tara L. | Garber, Carol Ewing

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: Gait impairment is common in Parkinson's disease (PD) and may result in greater energy expenditure, poorer walking economy, and fatigue during activities of daily living. Auditory cueing is an effective technique to improve gait; but the effects on energy expenditure are unknown. Objective: To determine whether energy expenditure differs in individuals with PD compared with healthy controls and if auditory cueing improves walking economy in PD. Methods: Twenty participants (10 PD and 10 controls) came to the laboratory for three sessions. Participants performed two, 6-minute bouts of treadmill walking at two speeds (1.12 m·sec−1 and 0.67 m·sec−1 ). …One session used cueing and the other without cueing. A metabolic cart measured energy expenditure and walking economy was calculated (energy expenditure/power). Results: PD had worse walking economy and higher energy expenditure than control participants during cued and non-cued walking at the 0.67 m·sec−1 speed and during non-cued walking at the 1.12 m·sec−1 . With auditory cueing, energy expenditure and walking economy worsened in both participant groups. Conclusions: People with PD use more energy and have worse walking economy than adults without PD. Walking economy declines further with auditory cuing in persons with PD. Show more

Keywords: Gait, rehabilitation, walking, Parkinson disease, physical fitness and exercise

DOI: 10.3233/JPD-130217

Citation: Journal of Parkinson's Disease, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 609-619, 2013

Article Type: Other

Citation: Journal of Parkinson's Disease, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 621-625, 2013