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α-Synuclein, a synaptic protein of unknown function, is a major component of Lewy bodies and may play a role in the pathophysiological process of Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this study, we measured the plasma α-synuclein levels in 105 patients with PD, 38 patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA), and 51 age-matched controls. The α-synuclein level was significantly elevated in patients with PD (79.9 ± 4.0 pg/ml, p < 0.001) and in those with MSA (78.1 ± 3.5 pg/ml, p = 0.019) compared with the level in controls (76.1 ± 3.9 pg/ml). The α-synuclein level was higher in patients with PD than in those with MSA (79.9 ± 4.0 vs 78.1 ± 3.5, p = 0.016). Our study demonstrated that the α-synuclein level in plasma is elevated in patients with PD and MSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinsonism associated with dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) has been described rarely; however, isolated parkinsonism as the presenting symptom of DAVF has not been reported. Here, we describe a patient with DAVF showing reversible isolated parkinsonism after embolization, which was well correlated with perfusion status of basal ganglia, suggesting that a perfusion defect was responsible for the pathogenesis of the parkinsonism in our DAVF patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac sympathetic dysfunction was investigated using 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) myocardial scintigraphy in 20 patients with drug induced parkinsonism (DIP). The mean heart to mediastinum ratio was significantly greater in patients with DIP than in those with Parkinson's disease (mean (SD): 2.07 (0.39) v 1.28 (0.15), p<0.001). MIBG uptake was not different between the DIP patients and controls. Two DIP patients whose MIBG uptake was significantly reduced showed persistent parkinsonism and responded dramatically to levodopa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]