Comparison of number of people with freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease with and without sleep disturbances: A systematic review.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, involving motor and non-motor symptoms (NMS). Sleep disturbances (SD) are the second most common NMS in PD and include rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD), excessive daytime sleepiness and insomnia. Freezing of gait (FOG) is a gait impairment frequently reported in people with PD greatly hampering functional independence and quality of life. Presence of FOG has been associated with increased frequency and severity of NMS, including SD. Thus, the aim of this study was to systematically review the literature comparing the number of people with FOG in PD with (PD + SD) and without SD (PD-SD). By systematically searching PubMed and Web of Science databases to identify original peer-reviewed articles, 8 studies including 5251 people with PD (2025 PD + SD and 3226 PD-SD) met eligibility criteria and were included in the review. In 6 studies (4 studies investigating RBD, 2 studies investigating overall sleep quality), the group of PD + SD had higher prevalence of FOG compared with PD-SD. Although a limited number of studies, our findings suggest that PD + SD present more frequently FOG than PD-SD. More studies are required to investigate the possible mechanism underlying this association between FOG and sleep.

Comparison of sleep characteristics between Parkinson's disease with and without freezing of gait: A systematic review.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a range of motor and non-motor symptoms. Among the motor complaints, freezing of gait (FOG) is a common and disabling phenomenon that episodically hinders patients' ability to produce efficient steps. Concurrently, sleep disorders are prevalent in PD and significantly impact the quality of life of affected individuals. Numerous studies have suggested a bidirectional relationship between FOG and sleep disorders. Therefore, our objective was to systematically review the literature and compare sleep outcomes in PD patients with FOG (PD + FOG) and those without FOG (PD-FOG). By conducting a comprehensive search of the PubMed and Web of Science databases, we identified 20 eligible studies for inclusion in our analysis. Our review revealed that compared to PD-FOG, PD + FOG patients exhibited more severe symptoms of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder in nine studies, increased daytime sleepiness in eight studies, decreased sleep quality in four studies, and more frequent and severe sleep disturbances in four studies. These findings indicate that PD + FOG patients generally experience worse sleep quality, higher levels of daytime sleepiness, and more disruptive sleep disturbances compared to those without FOG (PD-FOG). The association between sleep disturbances and FOG highlights the importance of evaluating and monitoring these symptoms in PD patients and open the possibility for future studies to assess the impact of managing sleep disturbances on the severity and occurrence of FOG, and vice versa.

Association between Backward Walking and Cognition in Parkinson Disease: A Systematic Review.

Backward walking often occurs in everyday life. It is more complex than forward walking and is associated with decreased coordination. However, it is unclear if a reduced backward walking performance is associated with impaired cognition. This could be particularly relevant as gait and cognitive deficits commonly occur in Parkinson's disease. The objective of this systematic review was to synthesize the evidence on the association between backward walking and cognition in persons with Parkinson's disease. The electronic databases PubMed and Web of Science were systematically searched, and the quality of eligible studies was assessed. Two studies met the inclusion criteria, but study protocols, investigated population, and outcome measures differed substantially. One study showed lower backward walking speed in patients with Parkinson's disease with poorer attention test performances. The second study showed a weak correlation between executive cognitive functions and backward walking speed. Given the low number of studies, the heterogenous study design, and the inconsistent results, the present review highlights the need to further investigate the association between backward walking and cognition in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Objective Measurement of Walking Activity Using Wearable Technologies in People with Parkinson Disease: A Systematic Review.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease with a multitude of disease variations including motor and non-motor symptoms. Quality of life and symptom management may be improved with physical activity. Due to technological advancement, development of small new wearable devices recently emerged and allowed objective measurement of walking activity in daily life. This review was specifically designed to synthesize literature on objective walking activity measurements using wearable devices of patients with PD. Inclusion criteria included patients with a diagnosis of PD and exclusion criteria included studies using animal models or mixed syndromes. Participants were not required to undergo any type of intervention and the studies must have reported at least one output that quantifies daily walking activity. Three databases were systematically searched with no limitation on publication date. Twenty-six studies were eligible and included in the systematic review. The most frequently used device was the ActiGraph GT3X which was used in 10 studies. Duration of monitoring presented a range from 8 h to one year. Nevertheless, 11 studies measured walking activity during a 7-day period. On-body sensor wearing location differed throughout the included studies showing eight positions, with the waist, ankle, and wrist being the most frequently used locations. The main procedures consisted of measurement of walking hours during a 2-day period or more, equipped with a triaxial accelerometer at the dominant hip or ankle. It is also important for further research to take care of different factors such as the population, their pathology, the period, and the environment.