Motor impairment in normal aging, clinically possible Parkinson's disease, and clinically probable Parkinson's disease: longitudinal evaluation of a cohort of prospective brain donors

Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2002 Dec;9(2):103-10. doi: 10.1016/s1353-8020(02)00012-3.

Abstract

This study presents data on the antemortem evaluations of a cohort of individuals registered in a brain donation program. Clinical evaluation determined that many individuals were unaware they had clinical signs of Parkinson's disease (PD) (rest tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity). Quantitative motor testing (timed tapping test and Purdue pegboard test) revealed a graded reduction in performance in those clinically found to have clinically possible and clinically probable PD. Longitudinal examinations over 4 years revealed some individuals progressed from control to clinically possible PD and clinically possible PD to clinically probable PD. This study underscores the importance of longitudinal antemortem testing of prospective brain donors as well as the potential value of quantitative motor testing.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aging / physiology*
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Brain Tissue Transplantation* / pathology
  • Brain Tissue Transplantation* / statistics & numerical data
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Cohort Studies
  • Confidence Intervals
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Motor Skills Disorders / diagnosis
  • Motor Skills Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Neuropsychological Tests / statistics & numerical data
  • Parkinson Disease / diagnosis
  • Parkinson Disease / physiopathology*
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Prospective Studies
  • Tissue Donors* / statistics & numerical data