Characterization of periodic upper limb movement disorder in a patient with restless arms syndrome.

in Movement Disorders : Official Journal of the Movement Disorder Society (2012), 27(11), 1459-61

BACKGROUND: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) and the frequently associated periodic limb movements (PLM) are common neurological disorders whose pathophysiology remains elusive. We report on the case of a 40 ... [more ▼]

BACKGROUND: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) and the frequently associated periodic limb movements (PLM) are common neurological disorders whose pathophysiology remains elusive. We report on the case of a 40-year-old patient presenting with severe restlessness in the upper limbs, a poorly known variant of RLS. CASE REPORT: Video-polysomnography was performed because of the associated poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness evocative of PLM. An electromyogram of the extensor carpi radialis muscle was added. Remarkably, our patient had movements of repeated extension of the small finger that contrasted with the extension of the hallux, characteristic for PLM. Pramipexol was an effective treatment relieving the patient's upper limbs of discomfort and ameliorating her restless sleep. CONCLUSIONS: Involvement of the upper limbs in RLS is relatively common, but restlessness may be located on the upper limbs solely. One should be aware of the upper limb variant, and that treatment by dopaminergic agonists proves to be very efficient. [less ▲]

Gait analysis using a wearable accelerometer system: Comparison between control subjects and patients with Parkinson’s disease

in Movement Disorders : Official Journal of the Movement Disorder Society (2010, June), 25(S2), 355

Ambulatory monitoring of energy expenditure and physical activity levels using the SenseWear ArmbandTM system in Parkinson’s disease

in Movement Disorders : Official Journal of the Movement Disorder Society (2010, June), 25(Suppl 2), 355-356

De novo interstitial duplication 4q associated with sporadic young-onset dopa-responsive parkinsonism

in Movement Disorders : Official Journal of the Movement Disorder Society (2009), 24(Suppl. 1), 138-139

A clinico-pathological report of SCA17 associated with a heterozygote small trinucleotide expansion

in Movement Disorders : Official Journal of the Movement Disorder Society (2009), 24(Suppl. 1), 12-12

Modulation of cerebral functional interactions by cortical dopamine in health and Parkinson's disease

in Movement Disorders : Official Journal of the Movement Disorder Society (2007), 22(Suppl. 16), 478

Brain Levels of Thiamine and Its Phosphate Esters in Friedreich's Ataxia and Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1

in Movement Disorders : Official Journal of the Movement Disorder Society (1996), 11(4), 437-439

Decreased blood and cerebrospinal fluid levels of thiamine have been reported in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia disorders. To determine whether a thiamine deficiency is present in the brain, we ... [more ▼]

Decreased blood and cerebrospinal fluid levels of thiamine have been reported in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia disorders. To determine whether a thiamine deficiency is present in the brain, we measured levels of thiamine and its phosphate esters thiamine monophosphate (TMP) and thiamine diphosphate (TDP), in postmortem cerebellar and cerebral cortices of patients with Friedreich's ataxia (FA) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1). Brain levels of free (nonphosphorylated) thiamine, TMP, TDP, and total thiamine in FA and SCA1 were, on average, not significantly different from control values. However, a nonsignificant trend was observed for slightly reduced levels of TDP and total thiamine in cerebellar cortex of the SCA1 patients, a finding that might be related to the severe neuronal damage in this brain area. We conclude that in FA, brain thiamine concentrations are normal, whereas in SCA1 the levels are, at most, only slightly reduced. [less ▲]