파킨슨병은 신경퇴행성질환으로 인지기능, 신경이상, 운동장애, 감각기능 장애를 보이게 된다. 감각기능 중 안구에도 다양한 증상이 나타나게 된다. 파킨슨병으로 발생할 수 있는 안구증상은 시력저하, 색각이상, 대비감도 저하, 눈 깜박임 감소, 안구 움직임 이상, 복시, 환각, 시야 결손 등으로 발생 할 수 있다. 특히, 색각이상 중 청록색 이상이 많았다. 또한, 눈 깜박임이 감소하며 깜박이는 시간이 길어져 안구건조가 발생할 수 있으며, 안구 움직임의 이상으로 폭주부족이 발생하기도 한다. 이로 인해 복시가 발생할 수 있고 환각이 나타나기도 한다. 녹내장과 관련이 있어 시야 이상이 발생하기도 한다. 약물치료와 함께 시력검사 및 전반적인 안구의 상태를 검진하고 꾸준한 관리가 필요할 것이다.

본 연구의 목적은 파킨슨병 환자를 대상으로 16주간 복합운동을 수행하였을 때 혈중 도파민 농도, 기능적 체력 및 삶의 질에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지를 규명하는데 있다. 이를 위해 본 연구에 참여한 60 대 이상의 파킨슨병 환자 24명을 운동군(n=12)과 통제군(n=12)으로 분류한 후 운동군을 대상으로 16주 동안 주 2회, 회기 당 70분의 복합운동을 실시하였다. 복합운동 실시 전·후 항목별 차의 비교를 위해 그룹 내 차이는 대응 t 검정, 그룹 간 차이는 독립 t 검정, 상호작용 검증을 위해 이원 반복측정 분산분석을 사용 하였으며, 각 항목별 통계적 유의수준은 .05로 설정하였다. 그 결과 첫째, 도파민 농도는 운동군(p<.01)이 16주간 운동 전보다 운동 후 유의하게 증가하였고, 통제군의 경우 유의한 차이가 나타나지 않았다. 둘째, 기능적 체력에서 악력은 운동군(p<.001)과 통제군(p<.05) 모두 16주간 운동 전보다 운동 후 유의하게 증가 하였고, 덤벨들기(p<.001), 의자 일었다 앉기(p<.001), 3m 걸어갔다 돌아오기(p<.01)가 16주간 운동 전보다 운동 후 운동군에서 유의한 차이를 보였고, 통제군은 유의한 차이가 나타나지 않았다. 셋째, 삶의 질은 운동군(p<.001)이 16주간 운동 전보다 운동 후 유의하게 증가하였다. 이상의 결과를 종합해 볼 때 16주간 의 복합운동은 파킨슨병 환자에게 매우 효과적임을 알 수 있었으며, 도파민 농도를 증가시키고 근력, 근지 구력, 평형성 및 보행능력 등 기능적 체력과 삶의 질을 향상시키는데 도움을 줄 수 있다고 사료된다.

본 연구는 파킨슨 질환(Parkinson’s disease) 마우스 모델을 대상으로 지구성 운동과 MitoQ 섭취가 뇌의 흑질의 미토콘드리아 기능에 미치는 영향을 확인하는데 목적이 있다. 파킨슨 질환을 유도하기 위해 C57BL/6 수컷 마우스를 대상으로 복강 내 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6 tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) 25mg/kg과 흡수를 돕기 위한 probenecid 250mg/kg을 이용하여 주 2회 5주간 총 10회 투여하였다. 실험 집단은 생리식염수를 투여하는 집단(Normal Conrol (NC), n=10), MPTP 투여집단(MPTP Control (MC), n=10), MPTP 투여 + MitoQ 투여집단(MPTP + MitoQ (MQ), n=10), MPTP 투여 + 운동집단 (MPTP + Exercise (ME), n=10), MPTP 투여 + MitoQ 투여 + 운동집단(MPTP + MitoQ + Exercise (MQE), n=10) 총 5 집단으로 구성하였으며, 운동집단은 지구성 운동을 실시하였고 MitoQ집단은 점진적으로 250μmol로 늘리면서 5주간 섭취하였다. 연구결과 Rotarod-test에서 MC 집단에 비해 처치 집단은 운동 기능 저하의 개선을 보였다. 또한 MC 집단에 비해 처치 집단은 tyrosine hydroxylase의 수준의 증가와 알파시누클린(α-synuclein) 단백질 축적을 감소시켰다. 그리고 미토콘드리아 생합성에 주요조절 인자인 PGC-1α와 항산화 효소인 Catalase 발현이 MC 집단에 비해 처치 집단에서 증가해 미토콘드리아 기능을 개선했으며, 세포사멸 조절인자인 Bcl-2의 증가와 Bax의 감소를 통해 세포사멸을 완화했다. 따라서 5주 간의 지구성 운동과 MitoQ 섭취는 파킨슨 질환에서 나타나는 병리학적 특징을 완화하고 운동기능을 향상 시키는데 효과적인 것으로 나타났다.

Background: Self-checked monitoring home exercises are recommended for preventing falls among people with Parkinson’s disease. However, as these home exercises are performed autonomously by patients without professional management, their accuracy and efficiency can be compromised. Objective: To investigate the effects of providing regular training sessions to patients and caregivers and of patient self-monitoring of exercise performance following the implementation of a self-checked monitoring exercise program for people with Parkinson’s disease. Design: Randomized Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design. Methods: We provided regular self-checked monitoring home exercise and general home exercise programs to 30 participants for 12 weeks. Once a month at the first, fifth, and ninth-week sessions, a rehabilitation team attended the Parkinson’s group education. In addition to the subject in the experimental group perform the home exercises program to provide feedback regarding the home exercises program and to carry out a self-monitoring checklist performance for 12 weeks. Results: The 10 m walk test, functional reach test, and sit to stand test and the modified Barthel index significantly improved in the self-checked monitoring home exercise group. Conclusion: These results suggest that self-checked home exercise programs, which facilitate safety and consistent performance of exercises at home, are beneficial for people with Parkinson’s disease.

Steamed and freeze-dried mature silkworm powders (SMSP) have various health improvement effects. However, westill do not know which substances are reponsible for varius health improvement effect yet. In this study, we comparedcontents of phytochemicals in SMSP to mulberry leaves and other silkworm powders. We found that SMSP have certainlevels of phyttochemicals and silk proteins. Our data suggested that various substances in SMSP are responsible for healthimprovements effect. (Project title: Elucidation the health improvement effects of boiled silk worm larvae, Project No:PJ010828012017)

Background: Losing balance during locomotive actions becomes an increasing threat to both the community-dwelling elderly and elderly with Parkinson disease (PD). Those with PD may be at a high risk of fall due to particular characteristics during the turn. Turning around during locomotive actions may be one of problematic factors causing losing balance. Objects: This study is part of a larger study, which in part aims to identify turning strategies, to compare the strategies in the elderly with and without idiopathic PD aged 51 years and older and to distinguish whether the turning strategies can predict the elderly at risk of falls. Methods: A total of 22 community-dwelling elderlies (10 elderlies with idiopathic PD and 12 healthy elderlies) were investigated for the turning strategies during the timed up and go test. Results: There were some significant differences between the two groups during turning (p<.05). The idiopathic PD group had a tendency of challenging on taking more number of steps, more time to accomplish and staggering more for the turn relative to the control group. Conclusion: Taking more number of steps and more time to turn may be useful for distinguishing the characteristics of PD from that of the healthy elderly in turning strategy.

Exposure to several common acting through oxidation stress environmental toxins has been shown to be associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD). One recently identified inherited Parkinson’s disease (PD) gene, DJ-1, may have a role in protection from oxidative stress, thus potentially linking a genetic cause with critical environmental risk factors [1]. In the present study, initially we assessed the antioxidant activity of Silk Worm Powder (SWP) in selected chemical systems and further explored the efficacy of SWP in Drosophila lacking DJ-1 function (This work was carried out with the support of the Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science & Technology Development (Project title: Elucidation the health improvement effects of boiled silk worm larvae, Project No: PJ01082801) Rural Development Administration).

Clinical measures that Quantify falling risk factors are needed for the accurate evaluation of patients and to plan an intervention strategy. The purpose of this study was to examine the test-retest and interrater reliability of the dynamic gait index (DGI) for persons with Parkinson's disease (PD). A total of 22 idiopathic PD patients were recruited from rehabilitation hospital, Korea in this study. The DGI was assessed in two sessions that were, three days apart. We also measured Berg balance test (BBT) and geriatric depression scale (GDS) for concurrent validity with DGI. Intrarater and interrater reliability (.96 and .98 respectively) for DGI were high. indicating good agreement. The DGI was showed a good positive correlation with the BBS (r=.852). but not GDS (r=-.462). Intrarater and interrater reliability of DGI were high in people with PD. The DGI could be a reliable measure to evaluate functional postural control during gait activities in the PD population, and the ability of DGI to detect real change is acceptable in research and clinical settings.

Human voice reacts very sensitively to human's minute physical condition For instance, human voice disorders affect patients, profoundly especially in the case of Parkinson's disease Acoustic tools such as MDVP, can function as an equipment that measures

This study was designed to examine a 3-week modified constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) to the less-affected arm of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) would improve function of the more-affected arm in PD. The subjects were 6 institutional older adults with PD and clients of the social welfare facilities. The subjects (2 men, 4 women) ranged in age from 66 to 90 years (mean age 77.2 yrs). Three clinical tests were used to determine the improvement of functional activity between before and after modified CIMT. The tests included Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), and Action Research Arm Test (ARAT). There were significantly differences after the modified CIMT for time performance in WMFT and pinch in ARAT (p<.05), No significant difference was noted after the modified CIMT for UPDRS and functional ability scale in WMFT. Therefore, the modified CIMT might improve time performance and is available to therapeutic program helping them improve functional ability for upper extremity in Parkinson's disease.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of auditory cues in the form of a metronome on gait initiation (GI) in Parkinson's disease (PD). 2 patients (mean age: 54 yrs) with idiopathic PD participated in the study. All patients (Hoehn and Yahr disability score of 2.0) were tested in the "on" state approximately 1.5 hours following the administration and fully responding to their PD medications. Subjects first initiated walking at self-initiated speeds to determine their cadences. Then, subjects were asked to initiate gait along the walkway while keeping pace with a metronome. The metronome rate (in beats/min) was set at a cadence 85% (slow condition), 100% (normal condition) and 115% (fast condition) of gait for each subject. Subjects were able to increase the speed of GI with faster cadence, but the speed of GI for the slow condition was similar to that of the normal condition. Swing toe-off was 578.3 ms for the fast condition, 709.4 ms for the normal condition and 736.2 ms for the slow condition. Respective times for swing heel-strike were 894.3 ms, 1110.2 ms and 1119.1 ms, and stance toe-off were 1105.4 ms, 1338.5 ms, and 1343.1 ms. Except for stance unloading ground reaction forces were greatest for the fast condition and smallest for the slow condition. It appears that PD patients were able to modulate GRFs and temporal events in response to auditory cues to achieve the peak acceleration force of the swing and stance limb. The findings from this study provided preliminary data, which could be used to investigate how PD patients modulate GRFs and temporal events during GI in response to tasks.