title: Blinking in patients with clinically probable multiple system atrophy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical studies in patients with MSA document facial motor abnormalities, but no studies have objectively assessed blinking abnormalities in this condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled patients diagnosed as having clinically probable MSA, 20 patients of the parkinsonian phenotype (MSA-P) and 10 patients of the cerebellar phenotype (MSA-C) and 20 healthy controls (HCs). Blinking was recorded with a three-dimensional optoelectronic motion system equipped with dedicated software for data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During voluntary blinking, the interphase pause duration between the closing and opening phases lasted longer in MSA-P and in MSA-C patients than in HCs; the opening phase had increased duration and reduced peak velocity in MSA-P. During reflex blinking, the opening blink phase also lasted longer in MSA-P patients than in HCs. During spontaneous blinking, the rate and kinematics of the closing and opening blinking phases were lower in MSA-P and in MSA-C patients than in HCs. Blink reflex recovery was higher in patients than in HCs. No difference was found between MSA-P patients receiving or not receiving dopaminergic medication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our objective assessment of upper facial movement documents abnormalities of voluntary, spontaneous, and reflex blinking in patients with MSA-P and MSA-C, reflecting cortical-basal ganglia and brainstem dysfunction.
authors: Neuromed Institute IRCCS, Pozzilli (IS).
authors: Matteo
authors: M
authors: Bologna
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Marsili
authors: Nashaba
authors: N
authors: Khan
authors: Ahmad Khandker
authors: AK
authors: Parvez
authors: Giulia
authors: G
authors: Paparella
authors: Nicola
authors: N
authors: Modugno
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Colosimo
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Fabbrini
authors: Alfredo
authors: A
authors: Berardelli
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D001767:Blinking / Q000502:physiology*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D019578:Multiple System Atrophy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011336:Probability
keywords: basal ganglia; blinking; brainstem; movement control; multiple system atrophy