PARKINSON'S DISEASE NEWS

12th July 2009 - New research

SCOLIOSIS IS PREVALENT IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Journal of Clinical Neurology [2009] 5 (2) : 91-94 (Baik JS, Kim JY, Park JH, Han SW, Park JH, Lee MS.) Complete abstract

Scoliosis has been found to be far more common in people with Parkinson's Disease. Scoliosis is an often painful medical condition in which a person's spine is curved from side to side. For more information go to Scoliosis.  Scoliosis was defined as a deviation of the spine of 10 degrees or more. All of the patients submitted to a scanograph to allow measurement of the degree of scoliosis. Scoliosis was found in a third of people with Parkinson's Disease. This is far more common than would be expected. Scoliosis was found to be  seven times more likely in women than it is in men. The likelihood also increased with age.  The use of dopaminergic drugs did not appear to have any effect on the degree of scoliosis. The researchers do not explain this prevalence of scoliosis in Parkinson's Disease, especially in women. However, the excessive muscle contraction that occurs in Parkinson's Disease can cause the upper body to bend towards one side rather than the other.  For more current news go to Parkinson's Disease News.

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Parkinson's Disease News details all significant new research, news reports, new books, and new resources concerning Parkinson's Disease and those medical disorders that often coincide with Parkinson's Disease. It is compiled from an analysis of  all newly published research, news reports, new clinical trials, all newly published books, and new web sites. A summary and analysis of the new research are provided,  as well as links to the complete abstracts and news reports.