Parkinson’s Disease and freezing of gait
Parkinson’s Disease is the one of the most common neurodegenerative disorder, after Alzheimer’s disease.
Main cardinal symptoms are bradykinesia, rest tremor and rigidity, along with other axial symptoms such as gait and postural disorders. In patients with Parkinson’s Disease there is a high risk of fall, thus affecting their quality of life and social participation.
Among gait disturbances, freezing of gait is of particular relevance. It is characterized by a difficulty of starting to walk or sudden inability to keep walking, especially when turning, overcoming obstacles or in dual task conditions (e.g. walking and talking).
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) represents an effective treatment, usually associated with pharmacological therapies, in both short and long terms. However, it was still uncertain the effect of DBS could have on the freezing symptom in advanced-stage patients.
New observational study published by our team
The Azienda USL-IRCCS of Reggio Emilia and the Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Modena (IT) conducted an observational study in collaboration with other Institutions qualified in the treatment of neurological disorders, such as the Maggiore Hospital of Bologna (IT), the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology of London (UK), and the Inserm of Grenoble (FR).
Twenty patients with Parkinson’s Disease treated with DBS for at least five years were included.
Freezing of gait was evaluated with the FOG score, a new validated tool for the assessment of freezing symptoms during exacerbating tasks, such as from standing to walk, turning around, and going through doorway.
The long-term effects of DBS on the freezing of gait
The results have just been published on Biomedicines Journal! You can get the full-text here. First Author: dr Giulia Di Rauso; Last Author dr. Franco Valzania; Corresponding Author dr Isabella Campanini.
In the long-term follow up, patients treated with DBS showed a stable FOG score when compared to the pre-operative values, when assessed during off-medication condition. On the contrary, FOG score showed significant worsening when the stimulation implant was turned off.
These results suggest the favorable effects of DBS on freezing even years after the surgery, especially in those patients with mild pre-operative symptoms.
This publication was the results of a great team work, included in a PhD program carried out by dr. Francesco Cavallieri, neurologist, at the Motion Analysis Laboratory of Correggio (Reggio Emilia), where Andrea Merlo works.
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