Abstract:
In 1817 James Parkinson described the clinical features of a disease known today as Parkinson’s disease. This disease results from the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (part of the basal ganglia of the brain), and is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease. It affects about 1% of the population over 65 throughout the world with figures varying in different countries.
The diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease is made on the basis of clinical criteria and there are no confirmatory tests. Initial symptoms of Parkinson's disease do not appear until 60 to 80 percent of dopamine-producing cells in the brain’s basal ganglia are degenerated. In an autopsy study, it was reported that in about 24% of cases, the final diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease had been incorrect.
The symptom most associated with Parkinson’s disease is tremor. However another debilitating feature of this disease is poor balance. The vestibular system is responsible for reporting on the position and movement of the head, in order to maintain the body’s balance. Pathways between the basal ganglia and the vestibular system are known to exist.
The aim of this project is to use electrovestibulography (EvestG), a technique used to measure neuronal activity of the vestibular nuclei, as a window to the function of the basal ganglia of the brain, which are involved in Parkinson’s disease. Acquiring Recordings before and after the administration of medication could help study their effect on Parkinsonian patients. This non-invasive technique could also help to develop an early diagnosis for the disease.
