Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Review

New development of diagnosis and treatment for Parkinson's disease

Satoshi Orimo, M.D., Ph.D.1)

1)Department of Neurology, Kanto Central Hospital

New methods for the diagnosis and new treatments for Parkinson's disease (PD) were explained. As imaging tools, neuromelanin imaging using brain MRI, meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) cardiac scintigraphy, dopamine transporter scintigraphy, and transcranial sonography were introduced. Olfactory dysfunction and REM sleep behavior disorders (RBD), which are important non-motor symptoms, and the new Clinical Criteria for PD launched by Movement Disorder Society (MDS) were also described. Investigative new medications and new anti-PD medications, which recently became available in Japan, were introduced. I explained the rationale of early treatment, strategy of initial treatment, the significance of continuous dopaminergic stimulation, strategy of treatment for advanced PD, and deep brain stimulation as a surgical treatment together with promising new treatments including gene therapy and cell transplantation.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (1094K)

(CLINICA NEUROL, 57: 259|273, 2017)
key words: MIBG cardiac scintigraphy, dopamine transporter scintigraphy, olfactory function, REM sleep behavior disorder, continuous dopaminergic stimulation

(Received: 8-Oct-16)