title: Pre-motor signs of PD are related to SN hyperechogenicity assessed by TCS in an elderly population.
abstract: Much effort has been put in the identification of risk factors and pre-motor markers for Parkinson's disease (PD). In contrast to many of the pre-motor markers, SN hyperechogenicity (SN+) assessed by transcranial sonography (TCS) has been found to be conclusive for vulnerability for PD. In two centers in Germany 1204 individuals ≥50 years without the diagnosis of PD were recruited and the prevalence and relation of SN+ to a range of pre-motor markers was evaluated. SN+ was detected in 193 (16.0%) of 1204 subjects. Hyposmia (25.4%) was the most frequent sign in the cohort, followed by the occurrence of slight motor deficits. Male gender, positive family history of PD as possible risk factors and the pre-motor markers slight parkinsonian signs, one-sided reduced arm swing, and hyposmia were found to be significantly associated with SN+. The number of subjects who had more than one marker was significantly larger in the SN+ subgroup than in the non-hyperechogenic group (9.2% vs. 2.1%). Most of the discussed markers for PD seem to be unspecific with older age, but related to SN+. Co-occurrence of these markers is more probable in SN+ subjects. These findings may have implications for the design of high-risk cohorts for PD.
authors.affiliation: Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Hoppe-Seyler Str. 3, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Liepelt
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Behnke
authors.forename: Katharine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schweitzer
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Godau
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wollenweber
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dillmann
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gaenslen
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Santo
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Maetzler
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*