Non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease: diagnosis and management

• Published in: Nigerian journal of medicine Vol. 19; no. 2; pp. 126 - 131
• Main Authors: Salawu, F K, Danburam, A, Olokoba, A B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nigeria 01.04.2010
• Subjects: Autonomic Nervous System Diseases - diagnosis; Autonomic Nervous System Diseases - etiology; Autonomic Nervous System Diseases - therapy; Behavioral Symptoms - diagnosis; Behavioral Symptoms - etiology; Behavioral Symptoms - therapy; Cognition Disorders - diagnosis; Cognition Disorders - etiology; Cognition Disorders - therapy; Constipation - diagnosis; Constipation - etiology; Constipation - therapy; Dopamine Agents - therapeutic use; Erectile Dysfunction - diagnosis; Erectile Dysfunction - etiology; Erectile Dysfunction - therapy; Health Status; Humans; Male; Olfaction Disorders - diagnosis; Olfaction Disorders - etiology; Olfaction Disorders - therapy; Parkinson Disease - complications; Parkinson Disease - physiopathology; Parkinson Disease - psychology; Quality of Life; Sleep Wake Disorders - diagnosis; Sleep Wake Disorders - etiology; Sleep Wake Disorders - therapy
• ISSN: 1115-2613; 1115-2613
• DOI: 10.4314/njm.v19i2.56496

Non-motor symptoms (NMS) of Parkinson's disease (PD) are a key determinant of health, quality of life (QoL) and societal cost of PD. They are often less appreciated than motor symptoms but are important sources of disability for many PD patients. Literature search was performed using the reference databases Medline, Science Citation Index and EMBASE. The keywords used were 'non-motor symptoms', Parkinson's disease, olfaction and constipation. Papers discovered by this search were reviewed, as were references cited therein. Contrary to common perception, many NMS of PD occur early in PD and some may even predate the diagnosis of PD that is based on motor signs. These include olfactory deficit, sleep problems such as rapid eye movement behaviour disorder, constipation and the more recently described male erectile dysfunction. There is compelling evidence that non-motor symptoms of PD play a dominant role in the QoL and disability of PD patients and the QoL of their 'informal' carers. Effective clinical management of PD therefore demands that these symptoms be identified and to the extent possible treated.