J Korean Neurol Assoc.  1996 Sep;14(3):754-760.

Abnormalties of Ocular Motor Movement in Patients with Parkinson's Disease

• Choi KJ
• Kim JW
• Kim SJ
• Kim SR
• Kim KJ
• Park JW
• Park KW

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
: We investigated the relationship between the severity of the disease and the abnormality of some ocular movements in parkinson's disease. BACKGROUND: Disorders of eye movements have been described in diseases of the basal ganglia for over a century and ocular motor deficits of the saccadic and pursuit system have been reported in parkinsonian patients. METHOD : We studied the electro-oculography of the eye tracking and saccadic movement in 26 patients (11 males, 15 females) with Parkinson's disease. The severity of the disease was divided into two groups by Hoehn & Yahr(H-Y) staging, H-Y stage 1, 2(group A) and H-Y stage 3, 4 (Group B). Some patients antiparkinsonian drugs of L-dopa, dopamine agonist and anticholinergics. RESULT : The velocity of smooth pursuit and the velocity and latency of saccade were calculated and compared between two groups. Eye tracking test revealed decreased pursuit velocity leading to catch-up saccades, but normal phase relationship between eye and target movement, while saccadic eye movement had increased latency. These results showed more profound severity in more advanced stages of the disease. CONCLUSION : We suggest that ocular movement be often chosen as a simple but relevant example of general motor function, as well as criteria for staging of Parkinson's disease and basal ganglia play significant role in ocular movement.

MeSH Terms

Basal Ganglia
Cholinergic Antagonists
Dopamine Agonists
Eye Movements
Humans
Levodopa
Male
Parkinson Disease*
Pursuit, Smooth
Saccades
Cholinergic Antagonists
Dopamine Agonists
Levodopa