Cholinergic System Changes in Dopa-Unresponsive Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Freezing of gait (FoG) is a debilitating mobility disturbance that becomes increasingly resistant to dopaminergic pharmacotherapies with advancing Parkinson's disease (PD). The pathophysiology underlying the response of FoG to dopaminergic treatment is poorly understood. Prior vesicular acetylcholine transporter positron emission tomography (VAChT PET) imaging studies implicate the degeneration of cholinergic pathways, including bilateral striatal and limbic archicortex deficits, as significant contributors to FoG.

Objective

We aim to investigate whether specific cholinergic system changes are associated with FoG responsiveness to levodopa treatment in PD patients.

Methods

Thirty six PD subjects (31M/5F) completed [¹⁸F]-fluoroethoxybenzovesamicol

SUBMITTER: Chou KL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12353882 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature