Abstract
ObjectiveWe aimed to identify timing distortions in production and perception of rhythmic events in patients with idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) as early markers of Parkinson's disease (PD).MethodsRhythmic skills, clinical characteristics, dysautonomia, depression, and olfaction were compared in 97 participants, including 21 participants with iRBD, 38 patients with PD, and 38 controls, matched for age, gender, and education level. Rhythmic disturbances can be easily detected with dedicated motor tasks via a tablet application. Rhythm production was tested in two conditions: to examine the ability to generate a spontaneous endogenous rhythm, tapping rate and variability in a finger tapping task without external stimulation was measured, while the ability to synchronize to an external rhythm was tested with finger tapping to external auditory cues. Rhythm perception was measured with a task, in which the participants had to detect a deviation from a regular rhythm. Participants with iRBD had dopamine transporter imaging.ResultsParticipants with iRBD and PD revealed impaired spontaneous rhythm production and poor rhythm perception compared to controls. Impaired rhythm production was correlated with olfaction deficits, dysautonomia, impaired non‐motor aspects of daily living, and dopamine uptake measures.ConclusionsParticipants with iRBD show impaired rhythm production and perception; this impairment is correlated with other early markers for PD. Testing rhythmic skills with short and inexpensive tests may be promising for screening for potential future PD in iRBD patients.
Highlights
With the development of neuroprotective drugs for Parkinson’s disease (PD), an early diagnosis of the disease is of paramount importance for minimizing/preventing dopaminergic neuronal loss as soon as possible
The goal of this study was to examine whether an impairment of rhythm perception or production can precede full-blown PD and whether this information can be used to predict potential future PD in idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD)
We tested in a population of patients with iRBD, a risk group for future PD, if deficits of rhythm perception or production can act as an early marker of PD and whether individual differences in these abilities are related to other wellknown early markers of PD, such as motor and non-motor aspects of daily living, dysautonomia, olfaction dysfunction, and DAT abnormalities
Summary
With the development of neuroprotective drugs for Parkinson’s disease (PD), an early diagnosis of the disease is of paramount importance for minimizing/preventing dopaminergic neuronal loss as soon as possible. In PD, the dysfunctional basal-ganglia-cortical circuitry is associated with timing distortions in the perception and production of rhythmic events.[6,7,8,9] Rhythmic disturbances can be detected in PD with sets of dedicated tests (perceptual and sensorimotor), such as the Battery for the Assessment of Auditory Sensorimotor and Timing Abilities (BAASTA).[10] BAASTA can be administered via a tablet application in patients with PD,[11] and has proven to be a sensitive and reliable tool.[10,12] An interesting possibility is that the first signs of a deterioration of basalganglia-cortical activity at a prodromal stage of PD may already manifest in a subtle but detectable impairment in fine rhythmic skills We examined this possibility by testing rhythmic skills in patients with iRBD, compared to healthy controls and patients with PD. Other early markers such as olfaction, depressive, dysautonomic, apathic, motor and non-motor symptoms, as well as dopamine transporter imagery abnormalities were examined in relation to rhythmic skills
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
