Parkinson Gait

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In an attempt to improve the gait of people with Parkinson disease (PD), researchers examined the effect of visual cues placed on the floor. In the present study, gait was analyzed during uncued, cued, and retention phases, each lasting 1 month. The underlying pathology involves a gradual degeneration of the gray matter within the basal ganglia, resulting in a declining production of the neurotransmitter dopamine by the substantia nigra. Dopamine, through its use by the basal ganglia, plays an important role in movement preparation and execution. Sidaway. et al ( 2006) People with PD typically have hypokinesia, resting tremors, episodes of freezing, and a stooped posture. With disease progression, gait is affected, with the characteristic…show more content…
Similar increases in hip range of motion have been reported to contribute to improved step length and gait speed following the administration of levodopa. Increased knee flexion also has been reported during the on phase in people with PD. The study revealed increased knee flexion during the swing phase, which lowered the moment of inertia of the lower extremity and therefore enabled an increase in the angular velocity of the whole limb. The increased angular velocity of the hip and knee joints shown in the phase-plane portraits, along with the increased step length, contributed to the increased gait speed during the retention testing. The phase-plane plots also highlight the increased stability of motor control that was engendered by the month of training with visual cues. Sidaway et al. (2006) The underlying mechanism by which long-term training with visual cues facilitated improvements in gait speed and step length could not be addressed by the experiment. Previous research suggested that the hypokinesia seen in people with PD may be the result of a disruption in the connections between the basal ganglia and the supplementary motor area leading to the inadequate generation of internal cues. Brotchie et al.
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