• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.35-43
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to compare spatio-temporal parameters during walking between patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and a control group matched for age, height, and weight. Thirty-three subjects were included in this study. Fifteen normal subjects (age, $63.3{\pm}5.8$ yrs; height, $164.1{\pm}8.7$ cm; weight, $60.7{\pm}17.5$ kg) and eighteen patients (age, $64.0{\pm}7.7$ yrs; height, $164.7{\pm}7.3$ cm; weight, $63.6{\pm}7.7$ kg) participated in the study. The Vicon 512 Motion analysis system was used for gait analysis in each group during walking, with and without an obstacle. The measured spatio-temporal parameters were cadence, walking speed, stride time, step time, single limb support time, double limb support time, stride length, and step length. Results in stride length and step length, when walking without an obstacle, showed a significantly greater decrease in the patient group compared to the control group. During walking with an obstacle, the patient group showed a significantly greater decrease in the step length as compared to the control group. For the control group, there were significant decreases in parameters of cadence and walking speed and increases in parameters of stride time, step time, and single limb support time when walking with an obstacle. The patient group had lower cadence and walking speed and higher stride time, step time, and single limb support time during walking with an obstacle than in walking without an obstacle. These results suggest that patients with Parkinson's disease who walk over an obstacle can decrease cadence, stride length, and step length. Further study is needed, performed with more obstacles and combined with other external cues, such as visual or acoustic guides.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.118-124
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• 2013

Objective : Subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective treatment of choice for patients with advanced idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) who have motor complication with medication. The objectives of this study are to analyze long-term follow-up data of STN DBS cases and to identify the factors related to outcomes. Methods : Fifty-two PD patients who underwent STN DBS were followed-up for more than 3 years. The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and other clinical profiles were assessed preoperatively and during follow-up. A linear regression model was used to analyze whether factors predict the results of STN DBS. We divided the study individuals into subgroups according to several factors and compared subgroups. Results : Preoperative activity of daily living (ADL) and the magnitude of preoperative levodopa response were shown to predict the improvement in UPDRS part II without medication, and preoperative ADL and levodopa equivalent dose (LED) were shown to predict the improvement in UPDRS part II with medication. In UPDRS part III with medication, the magnitude of preoperative levodopa response was a predicting factor. Conclusion : The intensity of preoperative levodopa response was a strong factor for motor outcome. And preoperative ADL and LED were strong factors for ADL improvement. More vigorous studies should be conducted to elucidate how levodopa-induced motor complications are ameliorated after STN DBS.

• KIPS Transactions on Software and Data Engineering
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• v.3 no.10
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• pp.421-428
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• 2014

Like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's Disease(PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative brain disorders. PD results from the deterioration of dopaminergic neurons in the brain region called the substantia nigra. Currently there is no cure for PD, but diagnosing in its early stage is important to provide treatments for relieving the symptoms and maintaining quality of life. Unlike many diagnosis methods of PD which use a single biomarker, we developed a diagnosis method that uses both biochemical biomarkers and imaging biomarkers. Our method uses ${\alpha}$-synuclein protein levels in the cerebrospinal fluid and diffusion tensor images(DTI). It achieved an accuracy over 91.3% in the 10-fold cross validation, and the best accuracy of 72% in an independent testing, which suggests a possibility for early detection of PD. We also analyzed the characteristics of the brain fiber pathways of Parkinson's disease patients and normal elderly people.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.131-144
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• 2007

Objectives : Although the cause of neuronal death of Parkinson's disease remains unclear, increasing evidence points to the role of inflammatory processes. And the hallmark of brain inflammation is the activation of microglia. This study was performed to prove the effect of acupuncture on inhibiting microglial activation. Methods : The rat models which were injected with 6-hydroxydopamine were treated with acupuncture once a day on LR3 (太衝) and GB34 (陽陵泉). To prove the effect of inhibiting microglial activation, we examined the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunopositive neurons and CD11b immunohistochemistry in the substantia nigra. Results : There were 18% (third day), 32% (seventh day) loss of TH-positive cell bodies in the control group and 23% (third day), 26% (seventh day) in the acupuncture group, whereas 3% (third day), 10% (seventh day) in vehicle group. The difference of optical density in substantia nigra was evaluated by subtracting log inverse gray value of contralateral side from that of ipsilateral side. With regards to the result of CD11b immunohistochemistry, acupuncture group showed significantly inhibited microglial activation compared with control group (p<0.01) on the seventh day. Conclusions : Acupuncture showed the effect of inhibition of microglial activation in seventh day. However, the effect of protection of TH positive cell bodies was not shown. So we need longer investigation of the effect of acupuncture on Parkinson's disease.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.140-150
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• 2010

Purpose: This study aims to find the factors that affect the degree of self-care performance in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Method: This study used a descriptive correlational design. The data were collected using a sample of 80 PD patients, from the university affiliated Parkinson Center in Busan. Pearson's correlations and multiple regression analyses were conducted using the SPSS 18.0. Results: The mean score of the self-care performance was 3.61 (${\pm}0.40$). The highest score observed of self-care performance subscale was medication subscale ($4.55{\pm}0.50$) and the lowest score was observed in the exercise subscale ($3.03{\pm}0.64$). The self-care performance had significant correlations with depression (r=-.32, p<.01), self-care knowledge (r=.28, p<.05), function of motion (r=.25, p<.05), ability of daily activity (r=.22, p<.05), self-efficacy (r=.24, p<.05), and support from medical staff (r=.24, p<.05). The significant predictors of self-care performance included depression (${\beta}=-.28$), status of employment (${\beta}=-.27$), self-care knowledge (${\beta}=-.21$), support from medical staff (${\beta}=-.28$), and educational level (${\beta}=-.28$), accounting for 34% of the variance in the self-care performance. Conclusion: Depression, self-care knowledge, medical support are significant predictors which affect the self-care performance with PD patients.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.145-151
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• 2011

In view of the hypothesis that the effects of Parkinson's disease on voice production can be detected before pharmacological intervention, the prosodic features of patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) and a healthy aging group were diagnostically analyzed with the long term object of establishing, for clinical purposes, early disease-progression biomarkers. Twenty patients (male 8; female 12) with IPD (prior to pharmacological intervention) and a healthy control group of 22 (male 10; female 12) were selected. Ten sentences were recorded with a head-worn microphone. One sentence was chosen for the analysis of this paper. Relevant parameters, i.e. 3-dimensional model (F0, intensity, duration) and pitch and intensity related slopes (maxEnergy, maxF0, meanAbS, semiT, meanEnergy, meanF0), were analyzed by two-group discriminant analysis. The stepwise estimation method of discriminant analysis was performed by gender. The discriminant functions predicted 83.9% of the male test data correctly while the prediction rate was 93.1% for the female group. The results showed that meanF0_slope and semiT_slope were more important parameters than the others for the male group. For the female group, the meanEnergy_slope and maxEnergy_slope were the important ones. These findings indicate that significant parameters are different for the male and female group. Gender lifestyle may be responsible for this difference. Dysprosodic features of IPD show not simultaneously but progressively in terms of F0, intensity and duration.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.103-110
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• 2011

Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease patients' speech is hypokinetic dysarthria and their speech is possibly the consequence of impaired respiratory support. The purpose of this study was focused on the respiratory characteristics of speech breathing in de novo IPD who were not given prior vocal or anti-Parkinson treatment. A total of 40 subjects participated in the study: 20 de novo IPD patients between the ages of 50 and 80, and 20 normal subjects with similar age, height, and weight matches. Forced Expiratory Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 sec (FEV1) and $FEV_1$ as a percentage of FVC (FEV1/FVC) was measured with a PC-based spirometer (Cosmed). In addition, Maximum Phonation Time (MPT), Mean Airflow Rate (MFR), Subglottal Pressure (Psub) and the number of syllables produced per breath were measured with a Phonatory Aerodynamic System (Kay PENTAX). All subjects were asked to read a standardized Korean paragraph and the following measurements were obtained from the task. Results indicated no statistically significant differences in respiratory function (FEV1/FVC%) and aerodynamic function between the two groups, but the number of syllables per breath was significantly lower in the IPD patient group than in the normal group and it could be predicted by FVC and MFR. Therefore, the study shows that the MFR from the lungs during speech in de novo IPD patients is used inefficiently.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.249-256
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• 2006

Purpose: To investigate the influence of clinical and demographical variables on depression, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), and cognitive function in patients with Parkinson's disease. Method: Using a structured questionnaire data were collected from 100 participants registered in the neurology department of C university hospital. Duration and stage of disease, fall history, vision impairment, duration and quality of sleep, orthostatic hypotension, ambulation impairment, and use of walking aid were included in clinical variables. Depression, IADL, and cognitive function were assessed using Kee's GDSSF-K, Cho's scale, and K-MMSE. Collected data were analyzed using the SAS program. Results: The depression score for the participants was 7.78, higher than cut-off score(5). Participants who were male, living with spouse, above high school education, high economic status, with no vision impairment, and no ambulation impairment revealed high cognitive scores. Average IADL score were significantly higher for participants who were male, who had high economic status, low stage of disease, and no ambulation impairment. Depression IADL & cognitive function scores were significantly different according to ambulation impairment. Scores for ADL and cognitive function were positively correlated. Conclusion: It is recommended that make programs for patients with Parkinson's disease, clinical and demographic variables should be considered according to their individual needs.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.246-253
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• 2019

Objective: In this care report, we address a case of a Parkinson's disease patient with nausea and vomiting. Methods: A patient was treated with Korean medicine therapies including herbal medication (Hyungbangjihwang-tang, Boikyangwie-tang), acupuncture, and electroacupuncture during 35 days of hospitalization. We evaluated the improvements of symptoms by checking the number of vomiting episodes and the presence of nausea. Results: During 35 days of Korean medicine treatment, there was improvement in patient's symptoms. The frequency of vomiting had decreased, and the nausea had decreased and not appeared for the last 7 days. Conclusions: This study suggested that Korean medicine therapies might be effective in relieving gastrointestinal symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.178-184
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• 2019

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons within the substantia nigra pars compacta. In the present study, we investigated whether ${\beta}-Lapachone$ (${\beta}-LAP$), a natural naphthoquinone compound isolated from the lapacho tree (Tabebuia avellanedae), elicits neuroprotective effects in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson's disease mouse model. ${\beta}-LAP$ reduced the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive fiber loss induced by MPTP in the dorsolateral striatum, and alleviated motor dysfunction as determined by the rotarod test. In addition, ${\beta}-LAP$ protected against MPTP-induced loss of TH positive neurons, and upregulated B-cell lymphoma 2 protein (Bcl-2) expression in the substantia nigra. Based on previous reports on the neuroprotective role of nuclear factor-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) in neurodegenerative diseases, we investigated whether ${\beta}-LAP$ induces upregulation of the Nrf2-hemeoxygenae-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway molecules in MPTP-injected mouse brains. Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses indicated that ${\beta}-LAP$ increased HO-1 expression in glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytes. Moreover, ${\beta}-LAP$ increased the nuclear translocation and DNA binding activity of Nrf2, and the phosphorylation of upstream adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). ${\beta}-LAP$ also increased the localization of p-AMPK and Nrf2 in astrocytes. Collectively, our data suggest that ${\beta}-LAP$ exerts neuroprotective effect in MPTP-injected mice by upregulating the p-AMPK/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways in astrocytes.