Ali H Rajput1, Leslie W Ferguson2, Christopher A Robinson3, Ilaria Guella4, Matthew J Farrer4, Alexander Rajput2. 1. Saskatchewan Movement Disorders Program, University of Saskatchewan/Saskatoon Health Region, Canada. Electronic address: ali.rajput@saskatoonhealthregion.ca. 2. Saskatchewan Movement Disorders Program, University of Saskatchewan/Saskatoon Health Region, Canada. 3. Division of Neuropathology, Department of Pathology, Saskatoon Health Region, Canada. 4. Centre of Applied Neurogenetics, University of British Columbia, Canada.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Neurodegeneration is known basis of several different Parkinson syndromes. The most common Parkinson syndrome is the Parkinson's disease. Distinction between different Parkinson syndromes is based on pathology or genetic findings. Recent studies indicate that several major variants of PS have some characteristics of a prion disease and may therefore be transmissible. Married couples offer a unique opportunity to study person-to-person transmission and the role of shared environments as the cause of parkinsonism. METHODS: Autopsy is offered to patients seen at the Movement Disorders Clinic Saskatchewan at no cost. Five couples seen in our clinic, where each spouse had a clinical diagnosis of parkinsonism, came to autopsy. RESULTS: Median duration of marriage was 42 years before the Parkinson syndrome first manifested in a spouse. Three couples were pathologically or genetically discordant for Parkinson variant. Each spouse in the other two couples had Parkinson's disease. One couple had onset separated by 20 years and one partner had a strong family history of Parkinson's disease. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that neither of the Parkinson's disease, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Multiple System Atrophy are transmitted by sexual or other intimate contact. The data also indicate against shared environments as the cause of these disorders.
INTRODUCTION:Neurodegeneration is known basis of several different Parkinson syndromes. The most common Parkinson syndrome is the Parkinson's disease. Distinction between different Parkinson syndromes is based on pathology or genetic findings. Recent studies indicate that several major variants of PS have some characteristics of a prion disease and may therefore be transmissible. Married couples offer a unique opportunity to study person-to-person transmission and the role of shared environments as the cause of parkinsonism. METHODS: Autopsy is offered to patients seen at the Movement Disorders Clinic Saskatchewan at no cost. Five couples seen in our clinic, where each spouse had a clinical diagnosis of parkinsonism, came to autopsy. RESULTS: Median duration of marriage was 42 years before the Parkinson syndrome first manifested in a spouse. Three couples were pathologically or genetically discordant for Parkinson variant. Each spouse in the other two couples had Parkinson's disease. One couple had onset separated by 20 years and one partner had a strong family history of Parkinson's disease. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that neither of the Parkinson's disease, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Multiple System Atrophy are transmitted by sexual or other intimate contact. The data also indicate against shared environments as the cause of these disorders.
Authors: Gregor Wenning; John Q Trojanowski; Horacio Kaufmann; Thomas Wisniewski; Walter A Rocca; Phillip A Low Journal: Ann Neurol Date: 2018-01-14 Impact factor: 10.422
Authors: Elizabeth A Coon; Walter Rocca; Christopher S Melson; J Eric Ahlskog; Joseph Y Matsumoto; Philip A Low; Wolfgang Singer Journal: Parkinsonism Relat Disord Date: 2019-09-13 Impact factor: 4.891