26th July 2011 - New research

RHINORRHEA IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Movement Disorders [2011] 26 (2) : 320-323  (Chou KL, Koeppe RA, Bohnen NI.)  Complete abstract

Rhinorrhea is nasal discharge, commonly referred to as a runny nose. For more information go to Rhinorrhea. Although, nasal discharge is usually assumed to occur for a variety of reasons such as colds, flu or allergies, it is a common symptom in Parkinson's Disease. Researchers have found that people with Parkinson's Disease multiplied the likelihood of nasal discharge 5 times the average. This is after other possible causes had been accounted for. Over two thirds (68%) of people who had Parkinson's Disease reported nasal discharge. There was no relationship with age or severity of symptoms. The nasal discharge of over half (52%) of people with Parkinson's Disease was accompanied with light headedness. The symptom of lightheadedness is uncommon in people who do not have Parkinson's Disease, occurring in less than 1 in 10. Another recent study found similar results. For more information go to the Complete abstract. The frequency of nasal discharge can lead to a reduction in the sense of smell, which is common in Parkinson's Disease.