Showing papers by "Francesco E. Pontieri published in 2009"
TL;DR: A key role for NMS in the clinical frame of PD is supported and the need to address them specifically in clinical trials using dedicated scales is addressed.
Abstract: We performed a multicenter survey using a semistructured interview in 1,072 consecutive patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) enrolled during 12 months in 55 Italian centers to assess the prevalence of nonmotor symptoms (NMSs), their association with cognitive impairment, and the impact on patients' quality of life (QoL). We found that 98.6% of patients with PD reported the presence of NMSs. The most common were as follows: fatigue (58%), anxiety (56%), leg pain (38%), insomnia (37%), urgency and nocturia (35%), drooling of saliva and difficulties in maintaining concentration (31%). The mean number of NMS per patient was 7.8 (range, 0-32). NMS in the psychiatric domain were the most frequent (67%). Frequency of NMS increased along with the disease duration and severity. Patients with cognitive impairment reported more frequently apathy, attention/memory deficit, and psychiatric symptoms. Apathy was the symptom associated with worse PDQ-39 score but also presence of fatigue, attention/memory, and psychiatric symptoms had a negative impact on QoL. These findings further support a key role for NMS in the clinical frame of PD and the need to address them specifically in clinical trials using dedicated scales.
1,151 citations
TL;DR: The results indicate the lack of correlation between central and peripheral dopamine transporter reduction in Parkinson's disease, and suggest that the two phenomena are unlikely to share a common pathogenetic mechanism.
Abstract: Objective: Previous reports showed the reduction of dopamine transporter immunoreactivity in peripheral blood lymphocytes in Parkinson's disease. In this work, we sought to investigate the possible correlation between central and peripheral dopamine transporter immunoreactivity values in a group of 11 drug-naive patients with Parkinson's disease. Methods: Densitometric measurements of dopamine transporter immunoreactivity in peripheral blood lymphocytes was accomplished as described recently, using a monoclonal antidopamine transporter antibody. Dopamine transporter binding in the caudate and putamen nuclei was measured by means of 123I-fluopane single-photon emission computed tomography in the same patients. Results: The results failed to show any significant correlation between dopamine transporter immunoreactivity in peripheral blood lymphocytes and the caudate or putamen dopamine transporter binding. Moreover, dopamine transporter immunoreactivity in peripheral blood lymphocytes was reduced a...
22 citations
TL;DR: The reduction of DAT-IR in PBL in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders, provided the presence of damage of the central dopaminergic systems is reported, suggest a compensatory phenomenon aimed at reducing intracellular dopamine influx and, consequently, dopamine-mediated aggravation of oxidative stress in these cells.
Abstract: Previous studies showed the reduction of dopamine transporter immunoreactivity (DAT-IR) in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in Parkinson’s disease. Here we report the reduction of DAT-IR in PBL in the extrapyramidal variant of multiple system atrophy. These results suggest the reduction of DAT-IR in PBL in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders, provided the presence of damage of the central dopaminergic systems. The reduction of DAT-IR in PBL in these disorders may represent a compensatory phenomenon aimed at reducing intracellular dopamine influx and, consequently, dopamine-mediated aggravation of oxidative stress in these cells.
9 citations
TL;DR: It is reported that addition of entacapone in a group of 45 elderly PD patients with LD-related motor fluctuations is well tolerated and efficacious in reducing the time, frequency and severity of the OFF periods.
Abstract: Levodopa (LD) provides the most effective symptomatic treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD). Long-term treatment with LD, however, is often associated with the development of response fluctuations. Previous evidence suggests that the short half-life of LD is a major contributor to the development of response fluctuations and the wearing-off phenomenon in particular. Entacapone, a peripheral catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitor has been shown to reduce OFF time and increase ON time in several therapeutic trials on PD patients treated with LD experiencing motor fluctuations. However, data are missing on the tolerability and efficacy of entacapone in elderly PD patients. This is of particular relevance, as most PD patients develop LD-related motor fluctuations after several years of disease duration. Here we report that addition of entacapone in a group of 45 elderly PD patients with LD-related motor fluctuations is well tolerated and efficacious in reducing the time, frequency and severity of the OFF periods. These data suggest that the drug can be used safely and efficaciously in elderly PD patients.
8 citations