Trial of Deferiprone in Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Iron content is increased in the substantia nigra of persons with Parkinson's disease and may contribute to the pathophysiology of the disorder. Early research suggests that the iron chelator deferiprone can reduce nigrostriatal iron content in persons with Parkinson's disease, but its effects on disease progression are unclear. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, phase 2, randomized, double-blind trial involving participants with newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease who had never received levodopa. Participants were assigned (in a 1:1 ratio) to receive oral deferiprone at a dose of 15 mg per kilogram of body weight twice daily or matched placebo for 36 weeks. Dopaminergic therapy was withheld unless deemed necessary for symptom control. The primary outcome was the change in the total score on the Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS; range, 0 to 260, with higher scores indicating more severe impairment) at 36 weeks. Secondary and exploratory clinical outcomes at up to 40 weeks included measures of motor and nonmotor disability. Brain iron content measured with the use of magnetic resonance imaging was also an exploratory outcome. RESULTS: A total of 372 participants were enrolled; 186 were assigned to receive deferiprone and 186 to receive placebo. Progression of symptoms led to the initiation of dopaminergic therapy in 22.0% of the participants in the deferiprone group and 2.7% of those in the placebo group. The mean MDS-UPDRS total score at baseline was 34.3 in the deferiprone group and 33.2 in the placebo group and increased (worsened) by 15.6 points and 6.3 points, respectively (difference, 9.3 points; 95% confidence interval, 6.3 to 12.2; P<0.001). Nigrostriatal iron content decreased more in the deferiprone group than in the placebo group. The main serious adverse events with deferiprone were agranulocytosis in 2 participants and neutropenia in 3 participants. CONCLUSIONS: In participants with early Parkinson's disease who had never received levodopa and in whom treatment with dopaminergic medications was not planned, deferiprone was associated with worse scores in measures of parkinsonism than those with placebo over a period of 36 weeks. (Funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 program; FAIRPARK-II ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02655315.).

Long-Term Follow-Up of the LEAP Study: Early Versus Delayed Levodopa in Early Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The Levodopa in EArly Parkinson's disease study showed no effect of earlier versus later levodopa initiation on Parkinson's disease (PD) progression over 80 weeks. We now report the effects over 5 years. METHODS: The Levodopa in EArly Parkinson's disease study randomly assigned patients to levodopa/carbidopa 300/75 mg daily for 80 weeks (early start) or to placebo for 40 weeks followed by levodopa/carbidopa 300/75 mg daily for 40 weeks (delayed start). Follow-up visits were performed 3 and 5 years after baseline. We assessed the between-group differences in terms of square root transformed total Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale score at 3 and 5 years with linear regression. We compared the prevalence of dyskinesia, prevalence of wearing off, and the levodopa equivalent daily dose. RESULTS: A total of 321 patients completed the 5-year visit. The adjusted square root transformed total Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale did not differ between treatment groups at 3 (estimated difference, 0.17; standard error, 0.13; P = 0.18) and 5 years (estimated difference, 0.24; standard error, 0.13; P = 0.07). At 5 years, 46 of 160 patients in the early-start group and 62 of 161 patients in the delayed-start group experienced dyskinesia (P = 0.06). The prevalence of wearing off and the levodopa equivalent daily dose were not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSIONS: We did not find a difference in disease progression or in prevalence of motor complications between patients with early PD starting treatment with a low dose of levodopa 40 weeks earlier versus 40 weeks later over the subsequent 5 years. © 2024 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Randomized Delayed-Start Trial of Levodopa in Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Levodopa is the main treatment for symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Determining whether levodopa also has a disease-modifying effect could provide guidance as to when in the course of the disease the treatment with this drug should be initiated. METHODS: In a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, delayed-start trial, we randomly assigned patients with early Parkinson's disease to receive levodopa (100 mg three times per day) in combination with carbidopa (25 mg three times per day) for 80 weeks (early-start group) or placebo for 40 weeks followed by levodopa in combination with carbidopa for 40 weeks (delayed-start group). The primary outcome was the between-group difference in the mean change from baseline to week 80 in the total score on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS; scores range from 0 to 176, with higher scores signifying more severe disease). Secondary analyses included the progression of symptoms, as measured by the UPDRS score, between weeks 4 and 40 and the noninferiority of early initiation of treatment to delayed initiation between weeks 44 and 80, with a noninferiority margin of 0.055 points per week. RESULTS: A total of 445 patients were randomly assigned: 222 to the early-start group and 223 to the delayed-start group. The mean (±SD) UPDRS score at baseline was 28.1±11.4 points in the early-start group and 29.3±12.1 points in the delayed-start group. The change in UPDRS score from baseline to week 80 was -1.0±13.1 points and -2.0±13.0 points, respectively (difference, 1.0 point; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.5 to 3.5; P=0.44); this finding of no significant between-group difference at week 80 implies that levodopa had no disease-modifying effect. Between weeks 4 and 40, the rate of progression of symptoms, as measured in UPDRS points per week, was 0.04±0.23 in the early-start group and 0.06±0.34 in the delayed-start group (difference, -0.02; 95% CI, -0.07 to 0.03). The corresponding rates between weeks 44 and 80 were 0.10±0.25 and 0.03±0.28 (difference, 0.07; two-sided 90% CI, 0.03 to 0.10); the difference in the rate of progression between weeks 44 and 80 did not meet the criterion for noninferiority of early receipt of levodopa to delayed receipt. The rates of dyskinesia and levodopa-related fluctuations in motor response did not differ significantly between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with early Parkinson's disease who were evaluated over the course of 80 weeks, treatment with levodopa in combination with carbidopa had no disease-modifying effect. (Funded by the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development and others; LEAP Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN30518857 .).

Perspectives of people living with Parkinson's disease on personalized prediction models.

BACKGROUND: There is a great need for the development of personalized prediction models (PPMs) that can predict the rate of disease progression for persons with Parkinson's disease (PD), based on their individual characteristics. In this study, we aimed to clarify the perspective of persons diagnosed with PD on the value of such hypothetical PPMs. METHODS: We organized four focus group discussions, each including five persons with PD who were diagnosed within the last 5 years. The sessions focused on what they think of receiving a personalized prediction; what outcomes are important to them; if and how the possibility of influencing the prognosis would change the way they think of personalized predictions; how they deal with the uncertainty from a PPM; and what barriers and facilitators they expect for using a PPM. RESULTS: The wish of persons with PD for receiving personalized prognostic information was highly heterogenous, for various reasons. Most persons with PD would like to receive more personalized prognostic information, mainly to better prepare themselves and their loved ones for the future. The prediction provided should be as personalized as possible, and there should be adequate supervision and coaching by a professional when providing the information. They were particularly interested in receiving prognostic information when their interventions would be available that could subsequently influence the identified prognostic factor and thereby affect the disease course beneficially. CONCLUSION: Most persons with PD in this study want more insight into their own future by means of prediction models, provided that this is explained and supervized properly by professionals. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Two patient-researchers were involved in the study design, conduct of the study, interpretation of the data and in preparation of the manuscript.

Translating Evidence to Advanced Parkinson's Disease Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

In the advanced stages of Parkinson's disease (PD), patients frequently experience disabling motor complications. Treatment options include deep brain stimulation (DBS), levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG), and continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion (CSAI). Choosing among these treatments is influenced by scientific evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preferences. To foster patient engagement in decision-making among the options, scientific evidence should be adjusted to their information needs. We conducted a systematic review from the patient perspective. First, patients selected outcomes for a treatment choice: quality of life, activities of daily living, ON and OFF time, and adverse events. Second, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis for each treatment versus best medical treatment using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). Finally, the evidence was transformed into comprehensible and comparable information. We converted the meta-analysis results into the number of patients (per 100) who benefit clinically from an advanced treatment per outcome, based on the minimal clinically important difference and the cumulative distribution function. Although this approach allows for a comparison of outcomes across the three device-aided therapies, they have never been compared directly. The interpretation is hindered by the relatively short follow-up time in the included studies, usually less than 12 months. These limitations should be clarified to patients during the decision-making process. This review can help patients integrate the evidence with their own preferences, and with their clinician's expertise, to reach an informed decision. © 2021 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Estimating the Effect of Early Treatment Initiation in Parkinson's Disease Using Observational Data.

BACKGROUND: Both patients and physicians may choose to delay initiation of dopamine replacement therapy in Parkinson's disease (PD) for various reasons. We used observational data to estimate the effect of earlier treatment in PD. Observational data offer a valuable source of evidence, complementary to controlled trials. METHOD: We studied the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative cohort of patients with de novo PD to estimate the effects of duration of PD treatment during the first 2 years of follow-up, exploiting natural interindividual variation in the time to start first treatment. We estimated the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Part III (primary outcome) and several functionally relevant outcomes at 2, 3, and 4 years after baseline. To adjust for time-varying confounding, we used marginal structural models with inverse probability of treatment weighting and the parametric g-formula. RESULTS: We included 302 patients from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative cohort. There was a small improvement in MDS-UPDRS Part III scores after 2 years of follow-up for patients who started treatment earlier, and similar, but nonstatistically significant, differences in subsequent years. We found no statistically significant differences in most secondary outcomes, including the presence of motor fluctuations, nonmotor symptoms, MDS-UPDRS Part II scores, and the Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living Scale. CONCLUSION: Earlier treatment initiation does not lead to worse MDS-UPDRS motor scores and may offer small improvements. These findings, based on observational data, are in line with earlier findings from clinical trials. Observational data, when combined with appropriate causal methods, are a valuable source of additional evidence to support real-world clinical decisions. © 2020 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Clinical and neuroimaging phenotypes of genetic parkinsonism from infancy to adolescence.

Genetic early-onset parkinsonism presenting from infancy to adolescence (≤21 years old) is a clinically diverse syndrome often combined with other hyperkinetic movement disorders, neurological and imaging abnormalities. The syndrome is genetically heterogeneous, with many causative genes already known. With the increased use of next-generation sequencing in clinical practice, there have been novel and unexpected insights into phenotype-genotype correlations and the discovery of new disease-causing genes. It is now recognized that mutations in a single gene can give rise to a broad phenotypic spectrum and that, conversely different genetic disorders can manifest with a similar phenotype. Accurate phenotypic characterization remains an essential step in interpreting genetic findings in undiagnosed patients. However, in the past decade, there has been a marked expansion in knowledge about the number of both disease-causing genes and phenotypic spectrum of early-onset cases. Detailed knowledge of genetic disorders and their clinical expression is required for rational planning of genetic and molecular testing, as well as correct interpretation of next-generation sequencing results. In this review we examine the relevant literature of genetic parkinsonism with ≤21 years onset, extracting data on associated movement disorders as well as other neurological and imaging features, to delineate syndromic patterns associated with early-onset parkinsonism. Excluding PRKN (parkin) mutations, >90% of the presenting phenotypes have a complex or atypical presentation, with dystonia, abnormal cognition, pyramidal signs, neuropsychiatric disorders, abnormal imaging and abnormal eye movements being the most common features. Furthermore, several imaging features and extraneurological manifestations are relatively specific for certain disorders and are important diagnostic clues. From the currently available literature, the most commonly implicated causes of early-onset parkinsonism have been elucidated but diagnosis is still challenging in many cases. Mutations in ∼70 different genes have been associated with early-onset parkinsonism or may feature parkinsonism as part of their phenotypic spectrum. Most of the cases are caused by recessively inherited mutations, followed by dominant and X-linked mutations, and rarely by mitochondrially inherited mutations. In infantile-onset parkinsonism, the phenotype of hypokinetic-rigid syndrome is most commonly caused by disorders of monoamine synthesis. In childhood and juvenile-onset cases, common genotypes include PRKN, HTT, ATP13A2, ATP1A3, FBX07, PINK1 and PLA2G6 mutations. Moreover, Wilson's disease and mutations in the manganese transporter are potentially treatable conditions and should always be considered in the differential diagnosis in any patient with early-onset parkinsonism.

Systematic clinical approach for diagnosing upper limb tremor.

Tremor is the most common movement disorder worldwide, but diagnosis is challenging. In 2018, the task force on tremor of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society published a consensus statement that proposes a tremor classification along two independent axes: a clinical tremor syndrome and its underlying aetiology. In line with this statement, we here propose a stepwise diagnostic approach that leads to the correct clinical and aetiological classification of upper limb tremor. We also describe the typical clinical signs of each clinical tremor syndrome. A key feature of our algorithm is the distinction between isolated and combined tremor syndromes, in which tremor is accompanied by bradykinesia, cerebellar signs, dystonia, peripheral neuropathy or brainstem signs. This distinction subsequently informs the selection of appropriate diagnostic tests, such as neurophysiology, laboratory testing, structural and dopaminergic imaging and genetic testing. We highlight treatable metabolic causes of tremor, as well as drugs and toxins that can provoke tremor. The stepwise approach facilitates appropriate diagnostic testing and avoids unnecessary investigations. We expect that the approach offered in this article will reduce diagnostic uncertainty and increase the diagnostic yield in patients with tremor.

Botulinum neurotoxin treatment in jerky and tremulous functional movement disorders: a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial with an open-label extension.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) treatment in jerky and tremulous functional movement disorders (FMD). METHODS: Patients with invalidating, chronic (>1 year) symptoms were randomly assigned to two subsequent treatments with BoNT or placebo every 3 months with stratification according to symptom localisation. Improvement on the dichotomised Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scale (CGI-I) (improvement vs no change or worsening) at 4 months, assessed by investigators blinded to the allocated treatment was the primary outcome. Subsequently all patients were treated with BoNT in a ten month open-label phase. RESULTS: Between January 2011 and February 2015 a total of 239 patients were screened for eligibility of whom 48 patients were included. No difference was found on the primary outcome (BoNT 16 of 25 (64.0%) vs Placebo 13 of 23 patients (56.5%); proportional difference 0.075 (95% CI -0.189 to 0.327; p=0.77). Secondary outcomes (symptom severity, disease burden, disability, quality of life and psychiatric symptoms) showed no between-group differences. The open-label phase showed improvement on the CGI-I in 19/43 (44.2%) of remaining patients, with a total of 35/43 (81.4%) improvement compared with baseline. CONCLUSIONS: In this double-blind randomised controlled trial of BoNT for chronic jerky and tremulous FMD, we found no evidence of improved outcomes compared with placebo. Motor symptoms improved in a large proportion in both groups which was sustained in the open-label phase. This study underlines the substantial potential of chronic jerky and tremulous FMD patients to recover and may stimulate further exploration of placebo-therapies in these patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NTR2478.

Scales to assess impulsive and compulsive behaviors in Parkinson's disease: Critique and recommendations.

Impulse control disorders (ICDs) and related impulsive and compulsive behaviors (together called ICBs) have been increasingly recognized in the context of Parkinson's disease (PD) and treatment. The International Parkinson's and Movement Disorder Society commissioned a task force to assess available clinical screening instruments and rating scales, including their clinimetric properties, make recommendations regarding their utility, and suggest future directions in scale development and validation. The literature was systematically searched for scales measuring a range of reported ICBs in PD. A scale was designated "recommended" if the scale had been employed in PD studies, been used beyond the group that developed it, and had adequate clinimetric data published for PD. Numerous diagnostic screening tools and severity rating scales were identified for a range of ICBs, including compulsive medication use, punding/hobbyism, walkabout, pathological gambling, hypersexuality, compulsive or binge eating, compulsive buying, reckless driving, compulsive exercise, pyromania, trichotillomania, hoarding, kleptomania, intermittent explosive disorder, and internet addiction. For screening across the range of ICBs (except compulsive medication use), the Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's disease (QUIP) and QUIP-Rating Scale (QUIP-RS) are recommended, and for severity rating across the range of ICBs the QUIP-RS and the Ardouin Scale of Behavior in Parkinson's Disease are recommended. The Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease-Psychiatric Complications is recommended for rating of hypersexuality and the compulsive behaviors gambling/shopping. Further testing of established scales against gold standard diagnostic criteria is urgently required for all other individual ICBs in PD. © 2019 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society © 2019 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Measurement instruments to assess posture, gait, and balance in Parkinson's disease: Critique and recommendations.

BACKGROUND: Disorders of posture, gait, and balance in Parkinson's disease (PD) are common and debilitating. This MDS-commissioned task force assessed clinimetric properties of existing rating scales, questionnaires, and timed tests that assess these features in PD. METHODS: A literature review was conducted. Identified instruments were evaluated systematically and classified as "recommended," "suggested," or "listed." Inclusion of rating scales was restricted to those that could be used readily in clinical research and practice. RESULTS: One rating scale was classified as "recommended" (UPDRS-derived Postural Instability and Gait Difficulty score) and 2 as "suggested" (Tinetti Balance Scale, Rating Scale for Gait Evaluation). Three scales requiring equipment (Berg Balance Scale, Mini-BESTest, Dynamic Gait Index) also fulfilled criteria for "recommended" and 2 for "suggested" (FOG score, Gait and Balance Scale). Four questionnaires were "recommended" (Freezing of Gait Questionnaire, Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, Falls Efficacy Scale, Survey of Activities, and Fear of Falling in the Elderly-Modified). Four tests were classified as "recommended" (6-minute and 10-m walk tests, Timed Up-and-Go, Functional Reach). CONCLUSION: We identified several questionnaires that adequately assess freezing of gait and balance confidence in PD and a number of useful clinical tests. However, most clinical rating scales for gait, balance, and posture perform suboptimally or have been evaluated insufficiently. No instrument comprehensively and separately evaluates all relevant PD-specific gait characteristics with good clinimetric properties, and none provides separate balance and gait scores with adequate content validity for PD. We therefore recommend the development of such a PD-specific, easily administered, comprehensive gait and balance scale that separately assesses all relevant constructs. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Disability Rating Scales in Parkinson's Disease: Critique and Recommendations.

INTRODUCTION: PD is associated with impairments that progress over time to disability. A large number of disability scales exist with little information on the best choice in PD. METHODS: Following methodology adopted by the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society Task Force, a review of disability scales used in PD was completed. Based on prespecified criteria, the review categorized scales into: "Recommended"; "Recommended with Further Validation in PD Required" when well-validated scales have not been specifically tested for clinimetric properties in PD; "Suggested"; and "Listed." RESULTS: Twenty-nine disability instruments were identified with nine scales fulfilling criteria for "Recommended" and 7 "Recommended with Further Validation in PD Required." Eight scales are "Suggested" and five scales are "Listed" for use in PD. The nine Recommended scales (Functional Status Questionnaire, Lawton-Brody Activities of Daily Living, Nottingham Activities of Daily Living, Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living, Self-Assessment PD Disability, Short Parkinson's Evaluation Scale/Scales for Outcomes in PD, Unified PD Rating Scale-II: Activities of Daily Living, Movement Disorders Society UPDRS Motor Experiences of Daily Living, PROMIS® and Neuro-QoL Physical Function), and the seven Recommended with Further Validation in PD Required are reviewed. CONCLUSION: Many disability measures are available and recommended for application in PD. The Task Force does not recommend the development of a new scale. Selection of the most appropriate instrument for a particular objective requires consideration of the characteristics of each scale and the goals of the assessment. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Design of the Park-in-Shape study: a phase II double blind randomized controlled trial evaluating the effects of exercise on motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with a wide range of motor and non-motor symptoms. Despite optimal medical management, PD still results in a high disability rate and secondary complications and many patients lead a sedentary lifestyle, which in turn is also associated with a higher co-morbidity and mortality. Exercise has been explored as a strategy to reduce secondary complications and results suggests that it not only provides general health benefits, but may also provide symptomatic relief. If this holds true exercise would be a very attractive addition to the therapeutic arsenal in PD. The supportive evidence remains incomplete. Here, we describe the design of the Park-in-Shape study, which primarily aims to evaluate whether aerobic exercise affords clinically relevant improvements in motor symptoms in sedentary PD patients. A specific new element is the introduction of gaming to optimize compliance to the exercise intervention. METHODS/DESIGN: The Park-in-Shape study is a randomized controlled, assessor- and patient-blinded single center study. Two parallel groups will include a total of 130 patients, receiving either aerobic exercise on a home trainer equipped with gaming elements ("exergaming"), or a non-aerobic intervention (stretching, flexibility and relaxation exercises). Both groups are supported by a specifically designed motivational app that uses gaming elements to stimulate patients to exercise and rewards them after having completed the exercise. Both interventions are delivered at home at least 3 times a week for 30-45 minutes during 6 months. Eligible patients are community-dwelling, sedentary patients diagnosed with mild-moderate PD. The primary outcome is the MDS-UPDRS motor score (tested in the off state) after 6 months. Secondary outcomes include various motor and non-motor symptoms, quality of life, physical fitness, and adherence. DISCUSSION: This Park-in-Shape study is anticipated to answer the question whether high intensity aerobic exercise combined with gaming elements ("exergaming") provides symptomatic relief in PD. Strong elements include the double-blinded randomized controlled trial design, the MDS-UPDRS as valid primary outcome, the large sample size and unique combination of home-based pure aerobic exercise combined with gaming elements and motivational aspects. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Dutch trial register NTR4743.

Unveiling the invisible: a qualitative interview study on the impact of young onset Parkinson's disease on (ex-partners).

INTRODUCTION: Living with young onset Parkinson's disease (YOPD) not only affects the persons with YOPD, but also their families. Although caregiver burden has been researched in Parkinson's disease in general, little is known about the specific impact of having an (ex-)partner with YOPD. This exploratory study aimed to explore the impact of having an (ex-)partner with YOPD on daily life. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used a qualitative approach including semi-structured interviews with 16 (ex-)partners of people with YOPD. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyze the interview data. RESULTS: Qualitative analysis revealed nine themes to describe the impact of having an (ex-)partner with YOPD: (1) Psychosocial impact, (2) Impact on taking care of children, (3) Impact on working life, (4) Impact on intimacy and (sexual) relationships, (5) Impact on daily life, (6) Acceptance and other coping strategies, (7) Thoughts about the future, (8) Autonomy and (9) Caregiver support. DISCUSSION: This study provides important findings that will inform future interventions that aim to reduce or even prevent caregiver burden, as well as to inform healthcare professionals to recognize the needs of caregivers of people with YOPD.

Age and gender differences in non-motor symptoms in people with Parkinson's disease.

Background: Non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) are highly prevalent and heterogenic. Previous studies aimed to gain more insight on this heterogeneity by investigating age and gender differences in non-motor symptom severity, but findings were inconsistent. Furthermore, besides examining the single effects of age and gender, the interaction between them in relation to non-motor functioning has -as far as we know- not been investigated before. Objectives: To investigate the association of age and gender identity -as well as the interaction between age and gender identity- with non-motor symptoms and their impact on quality of life. Methods: We combined three large and independent studies. This approach resulted in a total number of unique participants of 1,509. We used linear regression models to assess the association of age and gender identity, and their interaction, with non-motor symptoms and their impact on quality of life. Results: Older people with PD generally had worse cognitive functioning, worse autonomic functioning and worse quality of life. Women with PD generally experienced more anxiety, worse autonomic functioning and worse quality of life compared to men with PD, whereas men with PD generally had worse cognitive functioning. In interaction analyses by age and gender identity, depressive symptoms and anxiety were disproportionally worse with increasing age in women compared to men. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that both age and gender -as well as their interaction- are differentially associated with non-motor symptoms of PD. Both research and clinical practice should pay more attention to demographic subgroups differences and possible different treatment approaches with respect to age and gender. We showed how combining datasets is of added value in this kind of analyses and encourage others to use similar approaches.

Treatment Approaches for Altered Facial Expression: A Systematic Review in Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy and Other Neurological Diseases.

Background: Facial weakness is a key feature of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) and may lead to altered facial expression and subsequent psychosocial impairment. There is no cure and supportive treatments focus on optimizing physical fitness and compensation of functional disabilities. Objective: We hypothesize that symptomatic treatment options and psychosocial interventions for other neurological diseases with altered facial expression could be applicable to FSHD. Therefore, the aim of this review is to collect symptomatic treatment approaches that target facial muscle function and psychosocial interventions in various neurological diseases with altered facial expression in order to discuss the applicability to FSHD. Methods: A systematic search was performed. Selected studies had to include FSHD, Bell's palsy, Moebius syndrome, myotonic dystrophy type 1, or Parkinson's disease and treatment options which target altered facial expression. Data was extracted for study and patients' characteristics, outcome assessment tools, treatment, outcome of facial expression and or psychosocial functioning. Results: Forty studies met the inclusion criteria, of which only three studies included FSHD patients exclusively. Most, twenty-one, studies were performed in patients with Bell's palsy. Studies included twelve different therapy categories and results were assessed with different outcomes measures. Conclusions: Five therapy categories were considered applicable to FSHD: training of (non-verbal) communication compensation strategies, speech training, physical therapy, conference attendance, and smile restoration surgery. Further research is needed to establish the effect of these therapies in FSHD. We recommend to include outcome measures in these studies that cover at least cosmetic, functional, communication, and quality of life domains.

Task force report: scales for screening and evaluating tremor: critique and recommendations.

The Movement Disorder Society established a task force to review rating scales for the assessment of tremor. Screening instruments used in identifying patients with tremor were also reviewed. Seven tremor severity scales, six activities of daily living (ADL)/disability scales, four quality-of-life scales, and five screening instruments were identified by searching PubMed.gov. The availability, use, acceptability, reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change were reviewed for each scale; and each scale was classified as recommended, suggested or listed based on whether 3, 2, or 1 of the following criteria were met: (1) used in the assessment of tremor (yes/no), (2) used in published studies by people other than the developers (yes/no), and (3) successful clinimetric testing (yes/no). Five tremor severity scales (the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Tremor Rating Scale, the Bain and Findley Clinical Tremor Rating Scale, the Bain and Findley Spirography Scale, the Washington Heights-Inwood Genetic Study of Essential Tremor Rating Scale, and the Tremor Research Group Essential Tremor Rating Assessment Scale), one ADL/disability scale (the Bain and Findley Tremor ADL Scale), one quality-of-life scale (the Quality of Life in Essential Tremor Questionnaire), and one screening instrument (the Washington Heights-Inwood Genetic Study of Essential Tremor Rating Scale, version 1) are recommended using these criteria. However, all scales need a more comprehensive analysis of sensitivity to change in order to judge their utility in clinical trials and individual patient assessments. The task force recommends that further work with existing recommended scales be performed as opposed to the development of new tremor scales.