New Freezing Of Gait Questionnaire Research Articles

Motor and non-motor predictors of freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease: A retrospective cohort study

IntroductionFreezing of gait (FOG) is a debilitating episodic gait disorder that significantly reduces the quality of life (QoL) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Diagnosing and treating FOG remains a major medical challenge. This study aimed to assess the correlation between FOG and both motor and non-motor clinical characteristics in patients with PD. MethodsIn this retrospective cohort study, 112 patients with PD were divided into two groups using the New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (NFOG-Q): one group with FOG (PD-FOG, 53 patients) and one group without FOG (PD-nFOG, 59 patients). The severity of PD and FOG was assessed using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), the Hoehn-Yahr (H–Y) staging system, and the NFOG-Q. The study also analyzed non-motor symptoms, including sleep disturbances, cognitive impairments, depression, anxiety, apathy, fatigue, and QoL. ResultThe prevalence of FOG was 47.3%. The PD-FOG group exhibited a longer duration of PD (P = 0.002), a higher H–Y stage indicating PD progression (P = 0.003), and elevated anxiety levels (P = 0.003) compared to the PD-nFOG group. According to binary logistic regression analysis, the higher H–Y stage (P = 0.022), anxiety level (P = 0.005), UPDRS part II (P = 0.001), and part III (P = 0.008) were significant predictors for the occurrence of FOG. ConclusionPatients with Parkinson's disease who have a higher Hoehn-Yahr (H–Y) stage, higher UPDRS score, and elevated levels of anxiety are more likely to experience FOG.

Efficacy of personalized repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation based on functional reserve to enhance ambulatory function in patients with Parkinson’s disease: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is one of the non-invasive brain stimulations that modulate cortical excitability through magnetic pulses. However, the effects of rTMS on Parkinson’s disease (PD) have yielded mixed results, influenced by factors including various rTMS stimulation parameters as well as the clinical characteristics of patients with PD. There is no clear evidence regarding which patients should be applied with which parameters of rTMS. The study aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of personalized rTMS in patients with PD, focusing on individual functional reserves to improve ambulatory function.MethodsThis is a prospective, exploratory, multi-center, single-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial. Sixty patients with PD will be recruited for this study. This study comprises two sub-studies, each structured as a two-arm trial. Participants are classified into sub-studies based on their functional reserves for ambulatory function, into either the motor or cognitive priority group. The Timed-Up and Go (TUG) test is employed under both single and cognitive dual-task conditions (serial 3 subtraction). The motor dual-task effect, using stride length, and the cognitive dual-task effect, using the correct response rate of subtraction, are calculated. In the motor priority group, high-frequency rTMS targets the primary motor cortex of the lower limb, whereas the cognitive priority group receives rTMS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The active comparator for each sub-study is bilateral rTMS of the primary motor cortex of the upper limb. Over 4 weeks, the participants will undergo 10 rTMS sessions, with evaluations conducted pre-intervention, mid-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and at 2-month follow-up. The primary outcome is a change in TUG time between the pre- and immediate post-intervention evaluations. The secondary outcome variables are the TUG under cognitive dual-task conditions, Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part III, New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire, Digit Span, trail-making test, transcranial magnetic stimulation-induced motor-evoked potentials, diffusion tensor imaging, and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging.DiscussionThe study will reveal the effect of personalized rTMS based on functional reserve compared to the conventional rTMS approach in PD. Furthermore, the findings of this study may provide empirical evidence for an rTMS protocol tailored to individual functional reserves to enhance ambulatory function in patients with PD.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT06350617. Registered on 5 April 2024.

Effects of Continuous Dopaminergic Stimulation on Parkinson's Disease Gait: A Longitudinal Prospective Study with Levodopa Intestinal Gel Infusion.

Gait issues, including reduced speed, stride length and freezing of gait (FoG), are disabling in advanced phases of Parkinson's disease (PD), and their treatment is challenging. Levodopa/carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) can improve these symptoms in PD patients with suboptimal control of motor fluctuations, but it is unclear if continuous dopaminergic stimulation can further improve gait issues, independently from reducing Off-time. To analyze before (T0) and after 3 (T1) and 6 (T2) months of LCIG initiation: a) the objective improvement of gait and balance; b) the improvement of FoG severity; c) the improvement of motor complications and their correlation with changes in gait parameters and FoG severity. This prospective, longitudinal 6-months study analyzed quantitative gait parameters using wearable inertial sensors, FoG with the New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (NFoG-Q), and motor complications, as per the MDS-UPDRS part IV scores. Gait speed and stride length increased and duration of Timed up and Go and of sit-to-stand transition was significantly reduced comparing T0 with T2, but not between T0-T1. NFoG-Q score decreased significantly from 19.3±4.6 (T0) to 11.8±7.9 (T1) and 8.4±7.6 (T2) (T1-T0 p = 0.018; T2-T0 p < 0.001). Improvement of MDS-UPDRS-IV (T0-T2, p = 0.002, T0-T1 p = 0.024) was not correlated with improvement of gait parameters and NFoG-Q from T0 to T2. LEDD did not change significantly after LCIG initiation. Continuous dopaminergic stimulation provided by LCIG infusion progressively ameliorates gait and alleviates FoG in PD patients over time, independently from improvement of motor fluctuations and without increase of daily dosage of dopaminergic therapy.

The validation of a Japanese version of the New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (NFOG-Q)

ObjectiveThis study aimed to develop a Japanese version of the New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (NFOG-Q) and investigate its validity and reliability.MethodsAfter translating the NFOG-Q according to a standardised protocol, 56 patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) were administered it. Additionally, the MDS-UPDRS parts II and III, Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) stage, and number of falls over 1 month were evaluated. Spearman’s correlation coefficients (rho) were used to determine construct validity, and Cronbach’s alpha (α) was used to examine reliability.ResultsThe interquartile range of the NFOG-Q scores was 10.0–25.3 (range 0–29). The NFOG-Q scores were strongly correlated with the MDS-UPDRS part II, items 2.12 (walking and balance), 2.13 (freezing), 3.11 (freezing of gait), and 3.12 (postural stability) and the postural instability and gait difficulty score (rho = 0.515–0.669), but only moderately related to the MDS-UPDRS item 3.10 (gait), number of falls, disease duration, H&Y stage, and time of the Timed Up-and-Go test (rho = 0.319–0.434). No significant correlations were observed between age and the time of the 10-m walk test. The internal consistency was excellent (α = 0.96).ConclusionsThe Japanese version of the NFOG-Q is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the severity of freezing in patients with PD.

Correlation of brain iron deposition and freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease: a cross-sectional study.

Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) is a novel imaging method for detecting iron content in the brain. The study aimed determine whether the iron deposition in the brains of people with Parkinson's disease (PD) is correlated with freezing of gait (FOG). We retrospectively collected the data of 24 patients with PD from the Movement Disorders Program and 36 healthy controls (HCs) from January 2021 to December 2021. Clinical assessments included mental intelligence scales, Parkinson rating scales, motor-related scales, and clinical gait assessments. All exercise scales and gait assessments were performed in the "ON" and "OFF" states. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were collected using 3-dimensional fast low-angle shot sequences. We chose the bilateral red nucleus, substantia nigra, thalamus, putamen, caudate nucleus, and globus pallidus as regions of interest for QSM analysis. The iron deposition in the substantia nigra of the PD group was significantly higher than that of the HC group (P<0.01). In the PD group, the iron deposition in the substantia nigra of patients with FOG was significantly higher than that in patients without FOG (P=0.04). The iron deposition in the substantia nigra was positively correlated with the New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (P=0.03). The scores for depression and anxiety of the PD group were significantly higher than those of the HC group, while the Berg balance scale score was significantly lower (P<0.01). The iron deposition in the substantia nigra of patients with PD is increased compared with that of controls and is associated with FOG. QSM can be used to detect brain iron deposition in patients with PD, which would help to explore the mechanism of abnormal neurobiological activity in FOG.

Suitability of visual cues for freezing of gait in patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease: a case–control pilot study

BackgroundFreezing of gait (FOG) is one of the most debilitating symptoms in patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD). Visual cues can relieve FOG symptoms. However, there is no consensus on patient characteristics that can benefit from visual cues. Therefore, we examined the differences in IPD patient characteristics according to the effectiveness of visual cueing.MethodsThrough gait experiments, we investigated the number of FOG occurrences, average FOG period per episode, proportion of FOG duration in the total gait cycles, and FOG-free period gait spatiotemporal parameters in ten participants diagnosed with FOG due to IPD. Subsequently, the differences between their clinical characteristics and striatal dopamine active transporter availability from six subregions of the striatum were compared by dividing them into two groups based on the three reduction rates: occurrence numbers, mean durations per episode, and proportion of FOG duration in the total gait cycles improved by visual cueing using laser shoes. The relationships among these three reduction rates and other FOG-related parameters were also investigated using Spearman correlation analyses.ResultsAccording to the three FOG-related reduction rates, the group assignments were the same, which was also related to the baseline self-reported FOG severity score (New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire): the more severe the FOG, the poorer the response to the visual cueing. By visual cueing, the better response group demonstrated the characteristics of lower new FOG questionnaire total scores, higher dopamine active transporter availability of the anterior and posterior putamen, and shorter mean duration of FOG per episode in the absence of cueing. These results were replicated using Spearman correlation analyses.ConclusionsFor FOG symptoms following IPD, gait assistance by visual cueing may be more effective when the total NFOGQ score is lower and the DAT of putamen is higher. Through this study, we demonstrated clinical and striatal dopaminergic conditions to select patients who may be more likely to benefit from visual cueing with laser shoes, and these findings lead to the need for early diagnosis of FOG in patients with IPD.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05080413. Registered on September 14, 2021.

Digital measures of freezing of gait across the spectrum of normal, non-freezers, possible freezers and definite freezers.

Over the course of the disease, freezing of gait (FoG) will gradually impact over 80% of people with Parkinson's disease (PD). Clinical decision-making and research design are often based on classification of patients as 'freezers' or 'non-freezers'. We derived an objective measure of FoG severity from inertial sensors on the legs to examine the continuum of FoG from absent to possible andsevere in people with PD and in healthy controls. One hundred and forty-seven people with PD (Off-medication) and 83 healthy control subjects turned 360° in-place for 1minute while wearing three wearable sensors used to calculate a novel Freezing Index. People with PD were classified as: 'definite freezers', new FoG questionnaire (NFOGQ) score > 0 and clinically observed FoG; 'non-freezers', NFOGQ = 0 and no clinically observed FoG; and 'possible freezers', either NFOGQ > 0 but no FoG observed or NFOGQ = 0 but FoG observed. Linear mixed models were used to investigate differences in participant characteristics among groups. The Freezing Index significantly increased from healthy controls to non-freezers to possible freezers andto definite freezers and showed, in average, excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.89). Unlike the Freezing Index, sway, gait and turning impairments were similar across non-freezers, possible and definite freezers. The Freezing Index was significantly related to NFOG-Q, disease duration, severity, balance confidence, and the SCOPA-Cog (p < 0.01). An increase in the Freezing Index, objectively assessed with wearable sensors during a turning- in-place test, may help identify prodromal FoG in people with PD prior to clinically-observable or patient-perceived freezing. Future work should follow objective measures of FoG longitudinally.

Assessment of the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (NFOG-Q-IT) in people with Parkinson disease: a validity and reliability study.

Freezing of gait (FOG) in Parkinson's disease (PD) is a challenging clinical symptom to assess, due to its episodic nature. A valid and reliable tool is the New FOG Questionnaire (NFOG-Q) used worldwide to measure FOG symptoms in PD. The aim of this study was to translate, to culturally adapt, and to test the psychometric characteristics of the Italian version of the NFOG-Q (NFOG-Q-It). The translation and cultural adaptation was based on ISPOR TCA guidelines to finalize the 9-item NFOG-Q-It. Internal consistency was assessed in 181 Italian PD native speakers who experienced FOG using Cronbach's alpha. Cross-cultural analysis was tested using the Spearman's correlation between the NFOG-Q-It and the Modified Hoehn-Yahr Scale (M-H&Y). To assess construct validity, correlations among NFOG-Q-It, Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), the 6-min Walking Test (6MWT), the Mini Balance Evaluation System Test (Mini-BESTest) and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) were investigated. The Italian N-FOGQ had high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.859). Validity analysis showed significant correlations between NFOG-Q-IT total score and M-H&Y scores (r = 0.281 p < 0.001), MDS-UPDRS (r = 0.359 p < 0.001), FES-I (r = 0.230 p = 0.002), Mini BESTest (r = -0.256 p = 0.001) and 6MWT (r = -0.166 p = 0.026). No significant correlations were found with SPPB, MOCA and MMSE. The NFOG-It is a valuable and reliable tool for assessing FOG symptoms, duration and frequency in PD subjects. Results provide the validity of NFOG-Q-It by reproducing and enlarging previous psychometric data.

Effectiveness of Center of Pressure Trajectory as Anticipatory Postural Adjustment Measurement in Parkinson’s Disease With Freezing of Gait History

Background Evidence showed that patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who have a history of freezing of gait (FOG) have hypometric anticipatory postural adjustment (APA) during gait initiation (GI) compared to PD without FOG. Objectives This study aimed to test the feasibility of center of pressure (COP) displacement during GI as the measure of APA in PD with and without a history of FOG. Methods Patients with PD underwent COP trajectory measurements, including duration, length, velocity, and acceleration in different phases of APA (APA1, APA2a, APA2, and LOC), as well as evaluation of New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (NFOG-Q), Tinetti balance and gait score, and Postural Instability and Gait Difficulty (PIGD) score in the on and off medication states. Results The duration (seconds) of APA2a, APA2b, and LOC were highest while velocity in mediolateral direction (X) (m/s), including APA1, APA2a, APA2b, and LOC showed lowest in PD with FOG. Velocity in the mediolateral direction in different phases of APA increased in patients with FOG after dopaminergic therapy. APA2a (seconds) and APA2b (X) (m/s) were significantly associated with NFOG-Q part II, APA2b (X) (m/s) was significantly associated with NFOG-Q part III, and APA2a (seconds) was significantly associated with Tinetti balance and gait and PIGD score. Conclusions PD with FOG history showed a favorable response of APAs to dopaminergic replacement. The APA parameters by COP trajectory, especially lateral COP shift toward the stance foot (APA2b (X) (m/s) and APA2a (seconds)) are surrogate markers to assess PD with FOG history.

A public data set of walking full-body kinematics and kinetics in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

To our knowledge, there is no Parkinson's disease (PD) gait biomechanics data sets available to the public. This study aimed to create a public data set of 26 idiopathic individuals with PD who walked overground on ON and OFF medication. Their upper extremity, trunk, lower extremity, and pelvis kinematics were measured using a three-dimensional motion-capture system (Raptor-4; Motion Analysis). The external forces were collected using force plates. The results include raw and processed kinematic and kinetic data in c3d and ASCII files in different file formats. In addition, a metadata file containing demographic, anthropometric, and clinical data is provided. The following clinical scales were employed: Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale motor aspects of experiences of daily living and motor score, Hoehn & Yahr, New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Tests, Fall Efficacy Scale-International-FES-I, Stroop test, and Trail Making Test A and B. All data are available at Figshare (https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/A_dataset_of_overground_walking_full-body_kinematics_and_kinetics_in_individuals_with_Parkinson_s_disease/14896881). This is the first public data set containing a three-dimensional full-body gait analysis of individuals with PD under the ON and OFF medication. It is expected to contribute so that different research groups worldwide have access to reference data and a better understanding of the effects of medication on gait.

Interactions across emotional, cognitive and subcortical motor networks underlying freezing of gait

Freezing of gait (FOG) is a gait disorder affecting patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and related disorders. The pathophysiology of FOG is unclear because of its phenomenological complexity involving motor, cognitive, and emotional aspects of behavior. Here we used resting-state functional MRI to retrieve functional connectivity (FC) correlated with the New FOG questionnaire (NFOGQ) reflecting severity of FOG in 67 patients with PD. NFOGQ scores were correlated with FCs in the extended basal ganglia network (BGN) involving the striatum and amygdala, and in the extra-cerebellum network (CBLN) involving the frontoparietal network (FPN). These FCs represented interactions across the emotional (amygdala), subcortical motor (BGN and CBLN), and cognitive networks (FPN). Using these FCs as features, we constructed statistical models that explained 40% of the inter-individual variances of FOG severity and that discriminated between PD patients with and without FOG. The amygdala, which connects to the subcortical motor (BGN and CBLN) and cognitive (FPN) networks, may have a pivotal role in interactions across the emotional, cognitive, and subcortical motor networks. Future refinement of the machine learning-based classifier using FCs may clarify the complex pathophysiology of FOG further and help diagnose and evaluate FOG in clinical settings.

Association between Severity of Freezing of Gait and Turning Characteristics in People with Parkinson's Disease.

For people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) with freezing of gait (FOG) (freezers), symptoms mainly exhibit as unilateral motor impairments that may cause difficulty during postural transitions such as turning during daily activities. We investigated the turning characteristics that distinguished freezers among people with PD and analyzed the association between the New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (NFOGQ) scores and the gait characteristics according to the turning direction for the affected limbs of freezers. The study recruited 57 people with PD (27 freezers, 30 non-freezers). All experiments measured the maximum 180° turning task with the “Off” medication state. Results revealed that the outer ankle range of motion in the direction of the inner step of the more affected limb (IMA) was identified to distinguish freezers and non-freezers (RN2 = 0.735). In addition, higher NFOGQ scores were associated with a more significant anteroposterior root mean square distance of the center of mass in the IMA direction and a greater inner stance phase in the outer step of the more affected limb (OMA) direction; explanatory power was 50.1%. Assessing the maximum speed and turning direction is useful for evaluating the differences in turning characteristics between freezers and non-freezers, which can help define freezers more accurately.

A 6-month longitudinal study on worsening of Parkinson’s disease during the COVID-19 pandemic

Further studies are required to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Parkinson’s disease (PD) progression. This study investigated the motor and non-motor progression of people with PD (PWP) at 6 months during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with that during the pre-pandemic period. Patients were recruited from Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, in the period between April 2019 and December 2020. Fifty patients were included, of whom 17 and 33 patients were followed for 6 months before and during the pandemic, respectively. All patients were assessed at baseline and at 6 months using the MDS-UPDRS, Schwab and England scale (S&E), Hoehn and Yahr scale (H&Y), Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go test (TUG), International Physical Activity Questionnaire, New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire, Non-Motor Symptoms Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Both groups were matched in age, gender, and disease characteristics. Patients followed during the pandemic showed more significant worsening of the total, part I and motor part of MDS-UPDRS, and balance scores (p < 0.001) than those followed during the pre-COVID-19 period. Gait (TUG), balance, and physical activity worsening were significantly correlated with baseline BDI, gait and balance scores, total and part I MDS-UPDRS scores, H&Y, and S&E OFF scores. Gait deterioration (TUG) was correlated with baseline physical activity (r = −0.510, p = 0.002). PWP showed worsening of motor and non-motor symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic at the 6-month follow-up. Worsening of gait, balance, and physical activity was correlated with baseline motor and physical activity OFF scores.

Baseline predictors of progression of Parkinson\u2019s disease in a sample of Egyptian patients: clinical and biochemical

BackgroundClinical progression of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is highly heterogeneous, and its predictors are generally lacking. Identifying predictors of early disease progression is important for patients’ management and follow-up. The current study aims to identify clinical, neuroimaging and biochemical baseline predictors of motor progression in patients with PD. Forty-five PD patients were assessed at baseline, 6 months and 1 year using MDS-UPDRS total and subscores, Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y), Schwab and England (S&E), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Baseline New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (NFOG-Q), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Ten-Meter Walking Test (10-MWT), and Time Up and Go Test (TUG), Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), PD questionnaire 39 (PDQ-39), MRI brain, uric acid, lipid profile and glycated hemoglobin were performed.ResultsSignificant worsening of MDS-UPDRS total, part III scores, H&Y, S&E and IPAQ (p < 0.001) was detected. One-year progression of H&Y and S&E were significantly correlated to disease duration (p = 0.014, p = 0.025, respectively). Progression of H&Y was correlated to baseline TUG (p = 0.035). S&E progression was correlated to baseline MDS-UPDRS total score (rho = 0.478, p = 0.001) and part III (rho = 0.350, p = 0.020), H&Y (rho = 0.401, p = 0.007), PIGD (rho = 0.591, p < 0.001), NFOG-Q (rho = 0.498, p = 0.001), and TUG (rho = 0.565, p = 0.001). Using linear regression, there was no predictors of clinical progression among the used baseline variables.ConclusionDespite the significant motor and physical activity progression over 1 year that was correlated to baseline motor and gait severity, but without predictive value, further similar and longitudinal studies are warranted to detect predictors of early progression and confirm findings.

Efficacy of caudal pedunculopontine nucleus stimulation on postural instability and gait disorders in Parkinson’s disease

Gait-related symptoms like postural instability and gait disorders (PIGD) inexorably worsen with Parkinson's disease (PD) deterioration and become refractory to current available medical treatment and deep brain stimulation (DBS) of conventional targets. Pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a promising method to treat PIGD. This prospective study aimed to clarify the clinical application of PPN-DBS and to explore effects of caudal PPN stimulation on PIGD. Five consecutive PD patients with severe medication-resistant postural instability and gait disorders accepted caudal PPN-DBS. LEAD-DBS toolbox was used to reconstruct and visualize the electrodes based on pre- and postoperative images. Outcomes were assessed with Movement Disorder Society (MDS)-Sponsored Revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), gait-specific questionnaires, and objective gait analysis with GAITRite system. MDS-UPDRS subitems 35-38 scores were improved at postoperative 6months (mean, 4.40 vs 11.00; p = 0.0006) and 12months (mean, 5.60 vs 11.00; p = 0.0013) compared with baseline, and scores at 6months were slightly lower than scores at 12months (mean, 4.40 vs 5.60; p = 0.0116). Gait and Falls Questionnaire, New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire, and Falls Questionnaire scores also significantly improved at postoperative 6months and 12months compared with baseline. In addition, cadence, bilateral step length, and bilateral stride length significantly increased when PPN On-stimulation compared with Off-stimulation. This study suggested that caudal PPN low-frequency stimulation improved PIGD for PD patients at the 6- and 12-month period.

Clinical features and related factors of freezing of gait in patients with Parkinson's disease.

BackgroundFreezing of gait (FOG) is a disabling paroxysmal gait disorder that prevents starting or resuming walking, which seriously negatively affects patients’ quality of life (QOL). The diagnosis and treatment of FOG remain a huge medical challenge. The purpose of this study was to explore the clinical characteristics and related factors of FOG in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).MethodsThe motor and nonmotor symptoms of a total number of 77 PD patients were evaluated. Patients with or without FOG were defined as a score ≥1 in the new freezing of gait questionnaire (NFOG‐Q). A comparative study between patients with and without FOG was conducted.ResultsIn this investigation, the prevalence of FOG was 48%. The patients with FOG had longer disease duration, higher Hoehn‐Yahr stage (H‐Y stage), higher dose of dopaminergic agents, and higher nonmotor and motor symptom scores. A significant positive correlation was found between the NFOG‐Q score and the H‐Y stage, PIGD subscore, PDQ‐39, and the attention/memory in the nonmotor symptoms assessment scale (NMSS) subitem (r > 0.5, p < .05). The binary logistic regression analysis showed that the higher H‐Y stage, higher rigidity subscore and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale II (UPDRS II) score, and UPDRS III score were significantly correlated with the occurrence of FOG (p < .05). In the analysis of the frequency of FOG, the prevalence of FOG in H‐Y stage was higher in the middle and late stages, and the prevalence of FOG increased with the increase in PDQ‐39 scores.ConclusionThe severity of FOG was significantly positively correlated with the H‐Y stage, PIGD subscore, PDQ‐39 score, and attention/memory score. Based on our findings, we conclude that the clinical characteristics of rigidity can be used as a potential predictor of FOG.

Impact of social and mobility restrictions in Parkinson\u2019s disease during COVID-19 lockdown

BackgroundThe consequences of strict COVID-19 mobility restrictions on motor/non-motor features in Parkinson’s disease (PD) have not been systematically studied but worse mobility and quality of life have been reported. To elucidate this question, 12 mild to moderate PD patients were assessed in March 2020 before and after two months of isolation as part of a clinical study that had to be interrupted due to the pandemic and the implementation of COVID19 mobility restrictions.MethodsTwelve patients were systematically evaluated before and after the lockdown period as part of a larger cohort that previously underwent thermal water rehabilitation. Clinical outcomes were the Body Mass index, the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test, the MDS-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale part III, the 6 Minute Walking Test and the New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire. Global cognition was evaluated with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale. The impact of COVID-19 restrictions on quality of life and functional independence was evaluated with The Parkinson’s disease Quality of life (PDQ-39), the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living questionnaires (IADL) and the Parkinson’s disease cognitive functional rating scales (PD-CFRS).ResultsAfter two months of isolation the Mini-BESTest score worsened (p=0.005), and four patients reported one or more falls during the lockdown. BMI increased (p=0.031) while the remaining clinical variables including quality of life did not change.ConclusionWe observed moderate worsening at Mini-BESTest, greater risk of falls and increased body weight as consequence of prolonged immobility. We believe negative effects were partially softened since patients were in contact with our multidisciplinary team during the lockdown and had previously received training to respond to the needs of this emergency isolation. These findings highligh the importnace of patient-centered interventions in PD management.

Validation of the German Version of the New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire for People with Parkinson's Disease.

Freezing of gait (FOG) in Parkinson's disease (PD) is a highly disabling symptom which impacts quality of life. The New FOG Questionnaire (NFOG-Q) is the most commonly used tool worldwide to characterize FOG severity in PD. This study aims to provide a German translation of the NFOG-Q and to assess its validity in people with PD. The questionnaire was translated using forward-backward translation. Validity was tested in 57 PD patients with FOG via Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency and Spearman correlations with several clinical measures to quantify disease severity, mobility, fall risk, and cognitive state for convergent and divergent validity. The German version of the NFOG-Q shows good internal consistency (Cα = 0.84). Furthermore, the NFOG-Q score was significantly correlated with the MDS-UPDRS III, H&Y stage, Timed Up and Go test, and the subjective fear of falling (FES-I). The lack of correlation with cognition (MoCA) points towards good divergent validity. This study provides a German version of the NFOG-Q which proved to be valid for the assessment of FOG severity in individuals with PD.

The effectiveness of peroneal nerve functional electrical simulation for the reduction of bradykinesia in Parkinson’s disease: A feasibility study for a randomised control trial

Objectives: To assess the feasibility of a multi-site randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effect of functional electrical stimulation on bradykinesia in people with Parkinson’s disease. Design: A two-arm assessor blinded randomised controlled trial with an 18 weeks intervention period and 4 weeks post-intervention follow-up. Setting: Two UK hospitals; a therapy outpatient department in a district general hospital and a specialist neuroscience centre. Participants: A total of 64 participants with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease and slow gait <1.25 ms−1. Interventions: Functional electrical stimulation delivered to the common peroneal nerve while walking in addition to standard care compared with standard care alone. Main measures: Feasibility aims included the determination of sample size, recruitment and retention rates, acceptability of the protocol and confirmation of the primary outcome measure. The outcome measures were 10 m walking speed, Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test, Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39, EuroQol 5-dimension 5-level, New Freezing of Gait questionnaire, Falls Efficacy Score International and falls diary. Participants opinion on the study design and relevance of outcome measures were evaluated using an embedded qualitative study. Results: There was a mean difference between groups of 0.14 ms−1 (CI 0.03, 0.26) at week 18 in favour of the treatment group, which was maintained at week 22, 0.10 ms−1 (CI –0.05, 0.25). There was a mean difference in UPDRS motor examination score of –3.65 (CI –4.35, 0.54) at week 18 which was lost at week 22 –0.91 (CI –2.19, 2.26). Conclusion: The study design and intervention were feasible and supportive for a definitive trial. While both the study protocol and intervention were acceptable, recommendations for modifications are made.

Is freezing of gait correlated with postural control in patients with moderate-to-severe Parkinson's disease?

Freezing of gait (FoG) is one of the main reasons for movement initiation disorders and abnormal coupling of posture and gait in Parkinson's disease (PD). Patients with FoG have poor postural control when compared to patients without FoG. However, the nature of the interrelationship between FoG and domains of postural control remains unknown. The aim of this study was to estimate the association between different domains of postural control and severity of FoG in patients with moderate-to-severe PD. Thirty patients with idiopathic PD with FoG (age range 45-80years, Hoehn & Yahr stages 3 and 4) participated in the study. We evaluated objective (FoG-ratio during turning task) and subjective (New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire, NFoG-Q) measures of FoG severity, reactive postural adjustments in response to an external perturbation, first step anticipatory adjustment for step initiation and quiet standing stability. In the multiple regression analysis, step initiation was the strongest significant correlation of the NFoG-Q score explaining 23% of the variance of the assessment. For the objective FoG measure, mediolateral CoP amplitude in quiet standing and mediolateral CoP amplitude in step initiation explained 39% of the variance of the FoG-ratio. As main conclusions, this study identified the association between objective and subjective measure for FoG severity and postural control domains. The results support conducting step initiation training during rehabilitation of individuals with FoG.