Monthly Archives: February 2019

Music, Parkinson's, Research, Reviews , , , Leave a comment

Music on the brain

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Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) and Argentinean Tango

Results: Results showed significant improvements in the Tinetti scale total (mean±SD of post-pre change: 5.3±2.8, p<0.01), gait (2.5±1.2 p<0.01), and balance scores (2.8±2.0 p<0.01). TUG also improved by 3.6±0.8 seg (p<0.01). Statistically non-significant changes were recorded in mobility, bodily discomfort, stigma, social support and cognition PDQ-39 domains, with Cohen’s d sizes of 0.5-0.6 and NNTs of 5-7.

Conclusion: RAS could be combined with Argentinean Tango. Positive effects on gait and balance were observed, together with a trend towards improvement in some quality of life domains. A randomized, blinded, controlled trial in a larger number of patients followed-up during a longer period is underway.

And this:Brief review of music and cognition

Given that the participants were not musicians, it can be inferred that the results of the research can be applied in other non-musical contexts, what we call “generalization” in cognitive rehabilitation, which means, non-musical gains can be transferred to daily activities. In this perspective Billhiartz et. al. (2000) argue that there is a link between musical instruction and development in non-musical skills.

… we agree that music is an important element in human life that can be used in many contexts. The musical activity is multisensorial, simultaneously integrating several systems, mainly the sensorimotor, cognitive, and affective, within a specific context, which consecrates in the sphere of embodied musical cognition.

An interview with Tom Moore

This is just a darn interesting interview with a musician and musicologist. You can’t make this stuff up.

 

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back to square one

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Basic clinical features do not predict dopamine transporterbinding in idiopathic REM behavior disorder 

REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is strongly associated with development of Parkinson’s Disease and otherα-synuclein-relateddisorders. Dopamine transporter (DAT) binding deficit predicts conversion toα-synuclein-related disorders in individuals with RBD.In turn, identifying which individuals with RBD have the highest likelihood of having abnormal DAT binding would be useful. Theobjective of this analysis was to examine if there are basic clinical predictors of DAT deficit in RBD. Participants referred for inclusionin the RBD cohort of the Parkinson Progression Markers Initiative were included. Assessments at the screening visit including DATSPECT imaging, physical examination, cognitive function screen, and questionnaire-based non-motor assessment. The group withDAT binding deficit (n=49) was compared to those without (n=26). There were no significant differences in demographic orclinical features between the two groups. When recruiting RBD cohorts enriched for high risk of neurodegenerative disorders, ourdata support the need for objective biomarker assessments.npj Parkinson’s Disease (2019) 5:2 ; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41531-018-0073-

Exercise, Parkinson's, Research, Reviews , , Leave a comment

Exergame based therapy and other stuff

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Rehab through exer-games

Conclusion:Recent evidence indicates exergame-based therapy has been widely proven to be feasible, safe, and atleast as effective as traditional PD rehabilitation. Further insight into new sensors, best practices and different cognitivestadiums of PD (such as PD with Mild Cognitive Impairment), as well as task specificity, are required. Also, studieslinking game parameters and results with traditional assessment methods, such as UPDRS scores, are required.

Study protocol re: PD movement interventions

The goal of this study is to begin to address this
challenge by piloting a novel, hypothesis-driven, non-
pharmacological intervention to improve motor function
and diminish motor fatigue in PD. This novel approach is
based on the use of hypothesis-driven cognitive task inter-
ventions to stimulate the motor system and ameliorate
motor symptoms

Palmomental reflex is an important clinical marker of REM sleep behavior disorder in patients with Parkinson’s disease Yadav R, Mahale R, Pal PK – Ann Mov Disord

 

Music, Parkinson's, Research , Leave a comment

Autism and Parkinson’s, and data-driven subtyping of PD

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Found this reference to a study involving autistic children.
Since Parkinson’s is a movement disorder, it stands to reason that music would be beneficial to both groups as a therapy (and it is).
http://irj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-889-en.pdf
“Highlights
● A growing body of evidence suggests that motor impairments are frequently present in children with autism.
● Music therapy along with physical activity might benefit children with autism.
● We observed a significant difference between the experimental and control group after applying music therapy along with play therapy.
Plain Language Summary: Children with autism show motor impairments. Music therapy along with physical activity is a significant treatment in improving motor coordination. In this study, 30 children with autism were participated in 15 music therapy sessions. Music therapy are presented in two methods: (a) inactive one; listening to music and (b) active one; playing and rhythmic movements. Based on the results, motor coordination was achieved in the posttest.”
 
Directly related to Parkinson’s is this research paper on data-driven subtyping of PD:
“466 patients with idiopathic PD were investigated and three subtypes were identified. Subtype I (Mild Baseline, Moderate Motor Progression) is comprised of 43.1% of the participants, with average age 58.79 ± 9.53 years, and was characterized by moderate functional decay in motor ability but stable cognitive ability. Subtype II (Moderate Baseline, Mild Progression) is comprised of 22.9% of the participants, with average age 61.93 ± 6.56 years, and was characterized by mild functional decay in both motor and non-motor symptoms. Subtype III (Severe Baseline, Rapid Progression) is comprised 33.9% of the patients, with average age 65.32 ± 8.86 years, and was characterized by rapid progression of both motor and non-motor symptoms. These subtypes suggest that when comprehensive clinical and biomarker data are incorporated into a deep learning algorithm, the disease progression rates do not necessarily associate with baseline severities, and the progression rate of non-motor symptoms is not necessarily correlated with the progression rate of motor symptoms.”
 
In other words, everybody’s Parkinson’s journey is unique.