Search results for " basal ganglia"
showing 3 items of 13 documents
Nitric oxide modulation of the basal ganglia circuitry: therapeutic implication for Parkinson's disease and other motor disorders.
2011
Several recent studies have emphasized a crucial role for the nitrergic system in movement control and the pathophysiology of the basal ganglia (BG). These observations are supported by anatomical evidence demonstrating the presence of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in all the basal ganglia nuclei. In fact, nitrergic terminals have been reported to make synaptic contacts with both substantia nigra dopamine-containing neurons and their terminal areas such as the striatum, the globus pallidus and the subthalamus. These brain areas contain a high expression of nitric oxide (NO)-producing neurons, with the striatum having the greatest number, together with important NO afferent input. In this pape…
Memory for time intervals is impaired in left hemi-Parkinson patients.
2004
The basal ganglia have been proposed as one of the neural correlates of timekeeping functions. Both encoding and memory retrieval components for time perception are impaired in Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of our study was to investigate in hemi-Parkinsonian patients the existence of a specific alteration in memory for time depending on the affected side, to better understand the contribution of the left or right basal ganglia circuits in different components of time perception. Right and left hemi-PD patients performed a time reproduction task in which they were required to reproduce in the same session short (5 s) and long (15 s) time intervals, in off- and on-therapy condition. Whil…
Transcranial direct current stimulation for treatment of freezing of gait: a cross-over study.
2014
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Progression of Parkinson's disease (PD) is frequently characterized by the occurrence of freezing of gait (FOG) representing a disabling motor complication. We aim to investigate safety and efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation of the primary motor cortex of PD patients with FOG. METHODS: In this cross-over, double-blind, sham-controlled study, 10 PD patients with FOG persisting in "on" state underwent anodal and sham direct current stimulation for 5 consecutive days. Clinical assessment over a 1-month period was performed. RESULTS: A significant improvement of gait, as assessed by the Stand Walk Sit test, with reduction in number and duration of FOG …