Rapid improvement of visuoperceptive functions by picoTesla range magnetic fields in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Impairment in perceptual motor or visuospatial tasks is among the most frequently encountered abnormality in neuropsychological testing of patients with Parkinson's disease, being present in up to 90% of cases. Visuoperceptive deficits can result from cortical and subcortical lesions involving the right hemisphere, thalamus, and basal ganglia and are thought to reflect a defect in attentional-arousal mechanisms induced by lesions that interrupt a cortical-limbic-reticular activating loop. Clinically, the presence of visuoperceptive impairment may not be noted by Parkinsonian patients but may contribute to various disabilities including difficulty driving a vehicle and difficulties performing daily tasks which require intact visuospatial abilities (i.e., walking, dressing, drawing and copying designs). The present communication concerns two fully medicated Parkinsonian patients who responded to extracranial treatment with picoTesla range magnetic fields (MF), behaviorally and also demonstrated rapidly and dramatically enhanced visuoperceptive functions as demonstrated on various drawing tasks. These findings demonstrate the efficacy of extremely weak MF in enhancing cognitive functions in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Sandyk
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NeuroCommunication Research Laboratories, Danbury, CT 06811.
Iacono
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RP
D003704:Dementia / Q000209:etiology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000503:physiopathology; D012154:Reticular Formation / Q000503:physiopathology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014796:Visual Perception
D012701:Serotonin; D008550:Melatonin; D004298:Dopamine