Non-Motor Symptom Assessment Scale Research Articles

Real-World Outcomes in USA using DBS Systems with Directionality and Multiple Independent Current Control (P5-11.017)

Real-World Outcomes in USA using DBS Systems with Directionality and Multiple Independent Current Control (P5-11.017)

Ghrelin as a biomarker of non-motor symptoms and sleep disorders at Parkinson's disease

ABSTRACT. Among the movement disorders characterized by Parkinson's disease, an equally important component is non-motor symptoms. To date, the neurophysiological basis of development and potential biomarkers of the disease remain insufficiently studied. The purpose of our study is to analyze the possibility of using the level of ghrelin in blood plasma as a biomarker of non-motor symptoms and sleep disturbances in Parkinson's disease depending on circadian rhythms. We examined 64 patients with Parkinson's disease registered at the Center for Parkinson's Disease and Other Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Nervous Diseases, Poltava State Medical University, and 30 patients without signs of neurodegenerative disease. The diagnosis was established according to the criteria of the World Brain Bank of Great Britain. Non-motor manifestations were studied according to the results of the non-motor symptom assessment scale, the severity of sleep disorders was assessed according to the sleep scale at Parkinson's disease. Results. In the course of the study, a decrease in the level of ghrelin in the blood plasma and the connection of the ghrelin content with sleep and digestive system disorders in patients with Parkinson's disease were established. patients, which is consistent with other studies. Ghrelin stimulates motility and emptying of the stomach, as well as motility of the small and large intestines. This indicates the probable role of ghrelin in the pathophysiology of diseases of the digestive system at Parkinson's disease. Conclusions. The level of plasma ghrelin in patients with Parkinson's disease and its diurnal fluctuations can be considered as a potential biomarker of non-motor symptoms and their fluctuations due to its links with sleep disorders and circadian rhythm.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Other Vascular Risk factors' Impact on Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease.

Previous studies revealed an association between vascular comorbidities and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the severity of motor and cognitive symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, there is a lack of studies assessing the entire spectrum of non-motor symptoms (NMS). To investigate the relationship between vascular comorbidities and NMS in PD patients. Patients were assessed at baseline and 4 years later with the Non-Motor Symptom Assessment Scale, Parkinson's Psychosis Questionnaire, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Apathy scale. After tetrachoric correlation matrix, we conducted linear regression models (adjusted for age, gender, disease duration, and UPDRS-III) to investigate the relationship between vascular comorbidities and NMS. In 73 PD patients, (mean disease duration 7.1 [5.3]), 57% had hypertension, 44% body mass index >25, 44% elevated cholesterol, 15% diabetes mellitus, 15% OSA, 14% cigarette-smoking history, 8% prior stroke, and 8% coronary disease. Cognition, psychotic symptoms, apathy, urinary function, and miscellaneous domains significantly worsened at the 4-year follow-up. OSA was significantly associated with higher severity of hallucinations/illusions at baseline and with a more severe deterioration of attention/memory, psychotic symptoms, and apathetic mood at the 4-year follow-up. At baseline, but not at follow-up, hypertension was negatively associated with miscellaneous domain scores and coronary disease with autonomic function scores (gastrointestinal tract and urinary function domains). Among PD-associated comorbidities, OSA was the main factor of decline. In addition to cognitive impairment, OSA might also potentially worsen psychotic symptoms and apathy. Treatment of OSA could be a strategy to improve these important NMS.

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.

Effects of Lee Silverman Voice Treatment BIG and conventional physiotherapy on non-motor and motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled study comparing three exercise models.

Background:Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients experience disabling motor dysfunctions as well as non-motor symptoms (NMSs) that can highly impact their perceived quality of life. Besides pharmacological treatment options, active intervention programs have set some attention in managing these symptoms. However, previous studies mainly assessed the effectiveness of active intervention programs on functional mobility and motor symptoms.Objective:This study aimed to investigate the effect of Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) BIG, an intensified and personalized physiotherapy (INTENSIVE), and a conventional physiotherapy (NORMAL) on NMSs in PD.Method:Forty-four patients with mild to moderate PD were randomly assigned to one of the three treatment groups. LSVT BIG and INTENSIVE were delivered one-on-one in 16 1-hour sessions within 4 weeks (4×/week). Patients assigned to NORMAL received 16 individual 1-hour sessions within 8 weeks (2×/week). The primary outcome measure was the difference in change from baseline in the non-motor symptom assessment scale for Parkinson’s disease (NMSS) between treatment groups to follow up at week 8. Patients were blinded for the NMSS being the primary outcome, but not the different treatment groups.Results:ANCOVA (Analysis of Covariance) showed reduced NMSS scores for all groups, with INTENSIVE being superior to NORMAL (p = 0.033). For secondary outcome measures (stride length, gait velocity and chair rising test) LSVT BIG and INTENSIVE were both superior to NORMAL.Conclusions:The study provides evidence that all three exercise programs are effective techniques to improve NMSs as well as motor function in PD.DRKS registration number:DRKS00008732

Predictors of the low level of adherence to pharmacotherapy in patients with Parkinson’s disease taking three or more doses of dopaminergic medications

Non-adherence to pharmacotherapy in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is associated with worsen clinical state and poor quality of life (QoL). Majority of PD patients takes three daily doses of dopaminergic drugs in minimum. Therefore, it is very important to know predictors of low level of adherence to pharmacotherapy to PD drugs. We included 124 cognitively intact patients (72 men) with idiopathic PD, taking at least three daily doses of PD drugs. We used validated Slovak versions of questionnaires and scales: Morisky 8-Item Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8), Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-8 (PDQ-8), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Non-Motor Symptom Assessment Scale for PD (NMSS), 9-Item Wearing-off Questionnaire (WOQ-9), and MDS-UPDRS III (motor examination) and IV (motor complications). In our cohort of PD patients, 33.9% reported high level, 29.8% reported medium level, and 36.3% reported low level of adherence. The rate of adherence correlated with disease duration, and total scores of PDQ-8, NMSS, WOQ-9 and MDS-UPDRS IV. We identified that only NMSS predicted low level of adherence. From detailed analysis of NMSS domains and questions in multivariate regression analysis, we found out that excessive daytime sleepiness (p = 0.029), anhedonia (p = 0.002), and forgetfulness (p = 0.005) were predictors for low level of adherence (R = 0.602, R2 = 0.363). In clinical practice, it is very important to identify non-adherent patients and provide suitable interventions for improving the rate of adherence and, conclusively, for improvement of clinical state and QoL.

Adherence to Pharmacotherapy in Patients With Parkinson's Disease Taking Three and More Daily Doses of Medication.

Background: Once-daily treatment formulation is associated with better adherence in comparison to more complex medication regimens. The study aimed to detect the extent of adherence to pharmacotherapy in Parkinson disease (PD) patients who take a minimum of three daily doses of drugs, and to identify factors associated with lower levels of adherence.Methods: The cohort was selected from non-demented PD patients. The 8-Item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8), 8-Item Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-8), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Non-Motor Symptom Assessment Scale (NMSS), 9-Item Wearing-off Questionnaire (WOQ-9), MDS-UPDRS III (motor examination), and IV (motor complications) scales were used in this study.Results: From a total of 124 subjects, 33.9% reported a high level of adherence, 29.8% reported a medium level of adherence, and 36.3% reported a low level of adherence to their pharmacotherapy. The level of non-adherence correlated with gender, longer disease duration, higher scores of PDQ-8, NMSS, WOQ-9, and MDS-UPDRS IV. Detailed analysis of NMSS demonstrated a correlation between the level of adherence and domains sleep/fatigue, mood/cognition, perceptual problems/hallucinations, attention/memory, and urinary symptoms. Independent risk factors for non-adherence were excessive daytime sleepiness, anhedonia, and forgetfulness.Conclusion: Non-adherence to more complicated medication regimens is frequent in PD patients and is associated with gender, longer PD duration, poorer quality of life, frequency and severity of non-motor symptoms, and more severe motor and non-motor fluctuations. Non-adherence was predicted by non-motor symptoms including fatigue, mood disturbances, and subjective cognitive complaints.

Cognitive complaints in Parkinson's disease patients: from subjective cognitive complaints to dementia and affective disorders.

Subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) are frequent in elderly populations. PD patients report SCC more often than healthy controls. The association between SCC, objective cognitive impairment and affective symptoms remains controversial. We assessed consecutive PD patients between March 2014 and March 2015. Presence of SCC was defined as a score ≥ 1 in the Non-Motor Symptom Assessment Scale for Parkinson's Disease (NMSS) Domain 5. MoCA was used for cognitive impairment assessment. Pill Questionnaire measured the impact in daily activities. PD with Dementia (PDD) and PD with Mild Cognitive Impairment (PDMCI) were defined as the presence of cognitive impairment with or without impact on daily activities. Anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales. Significance was set at p < 0.05. From 134 patients, 128 were included. PDD was diagnosed in 21 (16.4%), PDMCI in 31 (24.2%), and 76 (59.4%) had normal cognition (PDCN). SCC were present in 85% of whole cohort and evenly distributed (p = 0.361), PDD (95.2%), PDMCI (83.9%) and PDCN (82.9%). Severity was significantly different between PDD (20.00 ± 10.81), PDMCI (6.54 ± 5.5) and PDCN (6.97 ± 6.98), p < 0.001. A score ≥ 19 had a specificity of 77.3% and a sensitivity of 78.8% for identifying PDD. In PDCN, SCC severity was found to be related to depression (OR 1.23, CI 95% 1.02-1.47, p = 0.026) more than with MoCA scores (OR: 0.86, CI 95% 0.69-1.05, p = 0.141). SCC are common in PD. Their severity can help distinguish PDD from non-demented PD patients. In PDCN, SCC should alert the clinician for an affective disorder.

Analysis of characteristics affecting instrumental activities of daily living in Parkinson's disease patients without dementia.

Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) are liable to experience impairment in their activities of daily living (ADL), which include ambulating, eating, dressing, bathing, and personal hygiene. The aim of this study is to assess which clinical characteristics contribute significantly to instrumental ADL (IADL) in PD patients without dementia. We included 106 PD patients in our study, and each patient's motor and non-motor status and basic and instrumental ADL were assessed using the appropriate scales. Of the 106 PD patients, 31 (29.2%) had abnormal Korean IADL (K-IADL) scores. These patients were older and had higher scores in terms of the modified Hoehn and Yahr (mHY) staging scale, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) parts II and III, UPDRS part IV motor fluctuation, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and total Non-Motor Symptoms assessment scale for PD (NMSS), as well as lower scores in the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Pearson's correlation analysis showed significant associations between the scores of K-IADL and each of the following characteristics of the patients: age, mHY stage, UPDRS parts II and III, UPDRS part IV motor fluctuation, BDI, total NMSS, and MMSE. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the significant clinical characteristics associated with the K-IADL scores were determined to be the UPDRS part II, MMSE, and BDI scores. The results of our study revealed that the cognitive, depression, and motor symptoms were the significant predictors of IADL in PD patients without dementia.

The clinical correlates of suicidal ideation in Parkinson’s disease

IntroductionSuicidal ideation is increased in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. The possible relationship between parkinsonian motor and non-motor symptoms and suicidal ideation in PD is unknown. The aim of the study was to evaluate suicidal ideation in patients with PD in a controlled study specifically designed to identify the clinical correlates of PD suicidal ideation. MethodsWe consecutively enrolled 100 patients with PD, 76 patients with psoriasis and 80 healthy subjects. Motor symptoms and complications were evaluated by using the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. Non-motor symptoms were evaluated by means of the Non-Motor Symptoms assessment scale for PD. All patients also underwent a psychiatric evaluation that included the administration of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale. ResultsSuicidal ideation was present in 31% of PD patients, 16% of patients with psoriasis and 2% of healthy controls. PD patients showing suicidal ideation have more frequent motor complications, more severe non-motor symptoms and a higher perceived disability than patients without suicidal ideation. Suicidal ideation correlated with the presence of motor complications as well as with non-motor symptom severity, perceived disability severity and the presence of psychiatric disorders. ConclusionsOur findings showed that suicidal ideation is increased in PD patients compared with healthy controls and patients with psoriasis and that several clinical PD features, including motor complications and non-motor symptoms, are associated with suicidal ideation in PD. The results suggest a multi-factorial origin of PD suicidal ideation.

Factors associated with freezing of gait in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Freezing of gait (FOG) is a common and debilitating problem in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of FOG, and to identify factors that independently contribute to FOG in patients with PD. We included 157 PD patients. FOG was assessed using the FOG Questionnaire (FOG-Q). Patients with or without FOG were defined as item 3 in the FOG-Q. One hundred eleven (70.7%) out of 157 PD patients presented with FOG. Patients with FOG were older, had long disease duration, were taking higher doses of dopaminergic agents, and had higher motor and non-motor scores than those without FOG. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that high modified Hoehn and Yahr (mHY) stage, Unified PD Rating Scale (UPDRS) part II score, and non-motor symptom assessment scale for PD (NMSS) total score were significant predictors of a high FOG-Q score. Patients with FOG had significantly higher scores for cardiovascular, gastrointestinal tract, urinary, and miscellaneous NMSS domains than those without FOG. FOG in PD was associated with higher mHY stage, UPDRS part II score, and total NMSS score. Therefore, clinicians should consider non-motor, motor features and activities of daily living states for the proper management of FOG.

Quality of life and Parkinson’s disease: Philippine translation and validation of the Parkinson’s disease questionnaire

The 39-item Parkinson’s Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (PDQ-39) is the most widely used self-administered questionnaire assessing the quality of life of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. We translated the PDQ-39 into the Filipino language as the Philippine-PDQ-39 (P-PDQ-39) and used it to assess the quality of life of Filipino patients with PD. The original PDQ-39 was translated into Filipino using forward and backward translation by independent bilingual translators and used among 100 consecutively sampled PD patients. Baseline demographic data, disease duration and levodopa equivalent dose were collected. Internal consistency was measured using Chronbach’s α. The following rating scales and questionnaires were correlated with P-PDQ-39 through Pearson’s correlation coefficient to assess construct validity: modified Hoehn & Yahr Stage, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Pilipino (HADS-P), Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) Parts I-III, and Non-motor symptom Assessment Scale for Parkinson’s Disease (NMSS). The mobility and activities of daily living domains of the P-PDQ-39 were well correlated with the Hoehn & Yahr stage of the patients and the UPDRS II and III scores emphasizing the value of motor symptoms in quality of life. Non motor symptoms in PD were also important determinants of quality of life as demonstrated in the correlation of HADS-P and NMSS Total scores with the P-PDQ 39 domains. The P-PDQ-39 is a valid assessment tool for assessing the quality of life of Filipino-speaking PD patients.

Comparison of two motor subtype classifications in de novo Parkinson's disease

BackgroundClinical subtypes of Parkinson's disease (PD) have been empirically defined based on the prominent motor symptoms. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of non-motor symptoms across PD motor subtypes in patients with PD. MethodsA total of 192 patients with de novo PD were included. The patients were classified into the tremor-dominant/mixed/akinetic-rigid (TD/mixed/AR) and tremor-dominant/mixed/postural instability and gait disturbance (TD/mixed/PIGD) subtypes, according to previous reports. ResultsIn the TD/mixed/AR classification, scores for scales related to motor symptoms and activities of daily living (ADL) were significantly different among the groups, and patients with the AR subtype demonstrated more severe scores than patients with the TD subtype. In the TD/mixed/PIGD classification, age, age at symptom onset, scores on motor-related scales, ADL, and non-motor symptoms were significantly different among the groups. Scores including the modified Hoehn and Yahr stages, the motor and ADL subscores of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Non-Motor Symptom Assessment Scale were significantly different after adjustments for age and age at symptom onset, and patients with the PIGD subtype obtained more severe scores than patients with the TD subtype. ConclusionThe TD/mixed/PIGD classification seems to be more suitable for identifying non-motor abnormalities than the TD/mixed/AR classification.

Association of coffee consumption and non-motor symptoms in drug-naïve, early-stage Parkinson's disease

ObjectiveCoffee consumption has an inverse association with the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between coffee consumption and non-motor symptoms (NMSs) in patients with PD. MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we included 196 early-stage, treatment-naïve PD patients. Coffee consumption history was obtained via semi-structured interviews. NMSs were assessed using the Non-Motor Symptom assessment scale (NMSS). ResultsOf the 196 patients with PD, 136 (69.3%) were categorized as coffee drinkers and 60 (30.6%) were non-drinkers. Coffee drinkers were younger, predominantly male, were younger in age at symptom onset, had lower Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor and Beck Depression Inventory scores, and higher Mini-Mental State Examination scores than non-coffee drinkers. After adjustment, coffee drinking was significantly inversely associated with the prevalence of lack of motivation, anhedonia, and lack of pleasure, which were less frequent in coffee drinkers. Total NMSS scores were lower in coffee drinkers than in non-drinkers (p = 0.047). In particular, coffee drinking was significantly associated with a reduced severity of the mood/cognition domain of NMSS (p = 0.003). After correcting for multiple testing, there were no significant differences in the prevalence of NMSs, but there were significant differences in the severity of NMSs between coffee drinkers and non-drinkers. ConclusionThere is a negative association between coffee consumption and the severity of the mood/cognition domain of NMSS in patients with PD. Clinicians should consider the history of coffee consumption in the assessment of NMSs in PD.

GBA-Associated Parkinson's Disease: Progression in a Deep Brain Stimulation Cohort.

Recent evidence suggests that glucosidase beta acid (GBA) mutations predispose Parkinson's disease (PD) patients to a greater burden of cognitive impairment and non-motor symptoms. This emerging knowledge has not yet been considered in patients who have undergone deep brain stimulation (DBS); a surgery that is generally contraindicated in those with cognitive deficits. To explore the long-term phenotypic progression of GBA-associated PD, in a DBS cohort. Thirty-four PD patients who had undergone DBS surgery between 2002 and 2011 were included in this study; 17 patients with GBA mutations were matched to 17 non-carriers. Clinical evaluation involved the administration of four assessments: The Mattis Dementia Rating Scale was used to assess cognitive function; non-motor symptoms were assessed using the Non-Motor Symptom Assessment Scale for PD; quality of life was measured using the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire; and motor symptoms were evaluated using part III of the Movement Disorders Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, in on-medication/on-stimulation conditions. Levodopa equivalent doses (LED) and DBS settings were compared with clinical outcomes. At a mean follow-up of 7.5 years after DBS, cognitive impairment was more prevalent (70% vs 19%) and more severe in GBA mutation carriers compared to non-carriers (60% vs 6% were severely impaired). Non-motor symptoms were also more severe and quality of life more impaired in GBA-associated PD. Motor symptoms, LED, and stimulation settings were not significantly different between groups at follow-up. GBA status appears to be an important predictor for non-motor symptom disease progression, after deep brain stimulation surgery.

Are branded and generic extended-release ropinirole formulations equally efficacious? A rater-blinded, switch-over, multicenter study.

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of the branded and a generic extended-release ropinirole formulation in the treatment of advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Of 22 enrolled patients 21 completed the study. A rater blinded to treatment evaluated Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Tremor Rating Scale, Nonmotor Symptoms Assessment Scale, and a structured questionnaire on ropinirole side effects. Besides, the patients self-administered EQ-5D, Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS-2), and Beck Depression Inventories. Branded and generic ropinirole treatment achieved similar scores on all tests measuring severity of motor symptoms (primary endpoint, UPDRS-III: 27.0 versus 28.0 points, P = 0.505). Based on patient diaries, the lengths of “good time periods” were comparable (10.5 and 10.0 hours for branded and generic ropinirole, resp., P = 0.670). However, generic ropinirole therapy achieved almost 3.0 hours shorter on time without dyskinesia (6.5 versus. 9.5 hours, P < 0.05) and 2.5 hours longer on time with slight dyskinesia (3.5 versus. 1.0 hours, P < 0.05) than the branded ropinirole did. Except for gastrointestinal problems, nonmotor symptoms were similarly controlled. Patients did not prefer either formulation. Although this study has to be interpreted with limitations, it demonstrated that both generic and branded ropinirole administration can achieve similar control on most symptoms of PD.

Evaluation of an Arabic version of the non-motor symptoms scale in Parkinson disease

Background: Although non-motor symptoms of Parkinson disease (PD) are common /INS;and can cause severe disability, they are often under-recognized. Non-motor symptom assessment scale of PD (NMSS-PD) is a specific validated scale in different populations for the screening and the assessment of these symptoms.

Management of Dysphagia and Drooling in Patients With Parkinson’s Disease

SUMMARY Dysphagia and drooling are frequently reported consequences of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and this article aims to review their management. Several PD-specific and validated instruments are available for the screening and evaluation of dysphagia and drooling, including the Swallowing Disturbance Questionnaire (SDQ), Sialorrhea Clinical Scale for Parkinson’s disease (SCS-PD), Radboud Oral Motor Inventory for Parkinson’s Disease (ROMP), subscales for swallowing and saliva, and non-motor questionnaires that include items on dysphagia and drooling (e.g., Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson’s disease-Autonomic [SCOPA-AUT]; Non-motor Symptoms Questionnaire for Parkinson’s disease [PD-NMSQuest]; and Non-motor Symptoms Assessment Scale for Parkinson’s disease [NMSS]). For the behavioral treatment of dysphagia traditional techniques are helpful, however, exercise training might be more effective. Dysphagia appears to be resistant to drug treatment, but dysphagic patients may benefit from deep brain stimulation. For the treatment of drooling, swallow compensations should be tried, but when saliva reduction is required, botulinum-toxin injections are currently the best option. Overall, there is an urgent need for new approaches to treat dysphagia and drooling in PD.

The Frequency of Nonmotor Symptoms among Advanced Parkinson Patients May Depend on Instrument Used for Assessment

Background. Nonmotor symptoms (NMS) of Parkinson's disease (PD) may be more debilitating than motor symptoms. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and corecognition of NMS among our advanced PD cohort (patients considered for deep brain stimulation (DBS)) and caregivers. Methods. NMS-Questionnaire (NMS-Q), a self-administered screening questionnaire, and NMS Assessment-Scale (NMS-S), a clinician-administered scale, were administered to PD patients and caregivers. Results. We enrolled 33 PD patients (23 males, 10 females) and caregivers. The most frequent NMS among patients using NMS-Q were gastrointestinal (87.9%), sleep (84.9%), and urinary (72.7%), while the most frequent symptoms using NMS-S were sleep (90.9%), gastrointestinal (75.8%), and mood (75.8%). Patient/caregiver scoring correlations for NMS-Q and NMS-S were 0.670 (P < 0.0001) and 0.527 (P = 0.0016), respectively. Conclusion The frequency of NMS among advanced PD patients and correlation between patients and caregivers varied with the instrument used. The overall correlation between patient and caregiver was greater with NMS-Q than NMS-S.

Validation of a German version of the NMSS (Non-Motor Symptom assessment Scale)

In addition to motor symptoms, a variety of non-motor symptoms can occur in Parkinson's disease. Non-motor symptoms are often overlooked and are not sufficiently captured by routine assessments. Internationally, the Non-Motor Symptom assessment scale (NMSS) has been widely accepted. In the NMSS 30 questions, covering 9 different non-motor domains, are used to evaluate the intensity of non-motor symptoms. In this study a validated German version of the NMSS is presented.