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Background: In patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), the occurrence of motor and non-motor symptoms increases with disease progression. The range of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) vary among individuals and can be burdensome for caregivers. Only a few studies have identified the contributing factors of NPS and caregiver burden in India.Objectives: We aimed to study the clinical profile, disability, and predictive factors of NPS in PD patients and associated caregiver's burden.Methods and Material: This was a cross-sectional observational study carried out in PD patients and their respective caregivers attending a movement disorder clinic in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Kerala. A total of 104 patients diagnosed with idiopathic PD receiving levodopa therapy and who had a primary caregiver were enrolled in the study. Structured questionnaires were administered to both patients and caregivers to collect data. Data analysis was done using an independent t-test, linear, and multiple regression analysis.Results: Among 104 patients recruited for the study, 61.5% of patients had shown at least one NPS and 40.44% showed multiple NPS. Results from the study showed that depression is the primary NPS occurring in IPD patients (55.8%) followed by irritability, anxiety, and apathy. On linear regression models, the prime determinant of NPS was the Everyday Abilities Scale for India (EASI). For caregiver burden, the main determinants were the presence of NPS, duration of caregiving, EASI, and RBDSQ score.Conclusions: NPS in PD are highly associated with and are determinants of caregiver burden. Detailed assessment and specific interventions aimed at NPS could alleviate caregiver burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 crisis has worsened the pre-existing barriers to accessing neurological specialist care in Low and middle income countries. Telemedicine has been available for well over 2 decades but has not been widely adopted in LMIC's due to issues around cost, feasibility, infrastructure and regulation. Virtual care is an offshoot of traditional telemedicine leveraging the widely available internet enabled devices to connect patients with their healthcare providers. In this manuscript, we provide an overview of the virtual care, relevance to neurology and some guidance on implementing virtual care in an Indian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the importance of multicenter prospective cohort study of primary central nervous system vaculitis (PCNSV) in India. It explores the nature and clinical manifestations of the condition and the scenarios that may lead to the suspicion of PCNSV. It also asserts the importance of creating prospective observational epidemiological study in the country as the first step to understand the clinical profile and natural course of the condition.