Articles related to MOVEMENT DISORDERS

This 10-year study is the first large, population-based assessment of spasticity treatment in MS. It reveals that younger, newly diagnosed people are prescribed baclofen more their older peers. This is the first study to show high rates of baclofen discontinuation among all patients with MS, with more than 50% of patients discontinued treatment within 6 months.

The authors in this paper wanted to determine if, on the basis of basic clinical criteria, the stiff limb syndrome can be distinguished from the stiff man syndrome and progressive encephalomyelitis with rigidity, and whether this distinction has any bearing on the condition’s origin, course of treatment, or prognosis.

In a trial randomizing 372 participants to deferiprone or placebo, nigrostriatal iron content decreased more in the deferiprone group than in the placebo group, but that didn’t correlate to a clinical benefit. Instead, 22% of those on the chelator required initiation of dopaminergic therapy versus 2.7% of those in the placebo group.

A 55-year-old woman has had slowly progressing speech distortion and problems with balance when walking. On exam, she showed signs of ataxia and chorea. Muscle tone was normal but stretch reflexes were absent. She had gaze-evoked horizontal nystagmus. Following electromyograph and MRI, and considering various conditions, her physicians proposed a diagnosis.

Relapsing MS treatment remains difficult, and new therapeutic targets have been investigated. S1P, a bioactive lysophospholipid signaling molecule present in several organs, including the central nervous system, is one such target. S1P plays a role in a variety of physiologic and pathophysiologic processes. S1P levels have been linked to disease progression in the brain parenchyma and cerebrospinal fluid of MS patients. There are 5 recognized S1PR subtypes, and depending on the receptor being targeted, their expression patterns and outcomes change. S1PRMs are a more recent class of RMS treatments, and the FDA has currently approved 4 of these treatments: fingolimod, siponimod, ozanimod, and ponesimod.

Along with well-known prodromal features like tremor, other signs were identified as potential early indicators. These include sensory skin changes, diabetes, inflammatory conditions, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome.