Neurodegeneration of the Globus Pallidus Internus as a Neural Correlate to Dopa-Response in Freezing of Gait.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) patients who develop freezing of gait (FOG) have reduced mobility and independence. While some patients experience improvement in their FOG symptoms with dopaminergic therapies, a subset of patients have little to no response. To date, it is unknown what changes in brain structure underlie dopa-response and whether this can be measured using neuroimaging approaches.

Objective

We tested the hypothesis that structural integrity of brain regions (subthalamic nucleus and globus pallidus internus, GPi) which link basal ganglia to the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR), a region involved in automatic gait, would be associated with FOG response to dopaminergic therapy.

Methods

In this observational study, thirty-six participa

SUBMITTER: Lench DH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10792667 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature