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Auditory and somatosensory evoked potentials (AEPs and SEPs) and ballistic movements in parkinson disease

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Abstract

In five patients with initial idiopathic Parkinson disease AEPs (early and late components of auditory evoked potentials), SEPs (somatosensory evoked potentials) and arm ballistic movements (abduction of the humerus) were studied. Experimental sessions were conducted before starting treatment (L-Dopa plus Carbidopa) and at two and six month intervals. Before treatment evoked potential abnormalities were found in four out of five patients; EMG patterns underlying ballistic arm abduction movements were altered in all patients; corresponding prolonged duration of initial movements and low mean velocities were found. After treatment AEP and SEP showed a reduction of previously observed abnormalities and both EMG patterns and kinematic variables consistently improved. It is suggested that the electrophysiological investigations employed in this preliminary study may be a useful tool in clinical and pharmacological researches on Parkinson disease.

Sommario

Sono stati studiati in 5 pazienti affetti da sindrome di Parkinson idiopatica iniziale gli AEPs (componenti precoci e tardive), i SEPs ed i movimenti balistici (abduzione dell'omero). Lo studio è stato condotto prima dell'inizio della terapia (L-Dopa+Carbidopa), e due e sei mesi dopo l'inizio della terapia. Anomalie dei potenziali evocati sono state riscontrate prima dell'inizio della terapia in 4 pazienti. I dati elettromiografici relativi ai movimenti balistici di abduzione del braccio erano alterati in tutti i pazienti ed erano caratterizzati da un ritardo nell'inizio del movimento e da una diminuizione della velocità media.

Dopo la terapia si è rivelata una riduzione delle anomalie precedentemente riscontrate per gli AEPs ed i SEPs ed anche i patterns EMG e le variabili kinematiche sono apparse notevolmente migliorati. Dall'analisi di questi risulati sembra emergere la possibilità che queste metodiche neurofisiologiche possano essere utilizzate quale mezzo per controllare la progressione della sindrome e l'efficacia di eventuali trials farmacologici.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. II Istituto di Neurologia, Università di Firenze, Firenze, Italy

    Rossi L., Bindi A., Costantini S., Scisciolo G. De & Zappoli R.

  2. Ospedale I Fraticini, Firenze, Firenze, Italy

    Benvenuti F.

  3. Istituto di Fisiologia, Università di Firenze, Firenze, Italy

    Pantaleo T.

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  1. Rossi L.
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  2. Benvenuti F.
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  3. Pantaleo T.
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  4. Bindi A.
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  5. Costantini S.
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  6. Scisciolo G. De
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  7. Zappoli R.
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Rossi, L., Benvenuti, F., Pantaleo, T. et al. Auditory and somatosensory evoked potentials (AEPs and SEPs) and ballistic movements in parkinson disease. Ital J Neuro Sci 6, 329–337 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02232011

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02232011

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