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Cognitive function in PD: gender effect?

 

Sex differences have been reported in Parkinson’s disease, notably with respect to a lower incidence and less severe motor symptoms in females.

For example, in the Oxford PD Disease Center discovery cohort study, males demonstrated a pattern of more symmetrical and severe symptoms in the upper body whereas postural problems were more evident in women (Szewczyk et al. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2014;20:99-105). Non-motor symptoms of cognitive impairment, REM behaviour disorder, orthostatic hypotension and sexual dysfunction, were more common in men. Read More

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Long-acting injectable aripiprazole approved in Canada

 

Aripiprazole data summary: efficacy and safety results
Underutilization of LAIs
Commentary by Dr. Ofer Agid, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.

A once-monthly long-acting injectable (LAI) formulation of aripiprazole (Abilify Maintena; Otsuka Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc.) has now been approved by Health Canada for maintenance treatment of adult patients with schizophrenia.

It is the first partial dopamine agonist to become available as an LAI. Aripiprazole once-monthly (OM) was previously approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in February 2013. Read More

Sleep disorder in PD: a role for circadian rhythm disturbance?

 

Sleep disorders are a non-motor symptom reported to occur in most PD patients at some stage of the disease. In newly-diagnosed PD, sleep disturbances appear to be uncommon although subjects may reported daytime naps and dream-related behaviours (Prudon et al. Mov Disord 2014;29:259-263).

Later in the disease course, sleep disorders may be due to neurodegenerative changes or secondary to drug treatment. Associated disorders may include restless legs syndrome, REM sleep behaviour disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea (Schulte & Winkelmann. J Neurol 2011;258(suppl 2):S328-335). Read More

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