Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
6
pubmed:dateCreated
2006-6-13
pubmed:abstractText
The objective of this study was to examine the chronobiology of visual hallucinations in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients to test whether hallucinations are more severe during darker months (winter) than summer months. We extracted longitudinal data on the UPDRS Thought Disorder (TD) score, taken as part of regular patient management on sequential visits through a 1-year cycle in hallucinating PD patients. To reduce the confounding effects of medication adjustments, analysis was restricted to patients with a baseline evaluation that did not involve a medication change. The primary outcome was the seasonal change in hallucination severity, defined as a change in TD score or neuroleptic use. Using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, we compared the exacerbation of hallucination by season, focusing on winter (December through February) versus summer (June through August). A total of 51 hallucinating patients met entry criteria, and their longitudinal data were analyzed. There was no difference in hallucination severity with changing season; the level of wintertime exacerbation was no greater than summertime exacerbation (P = 0.42). Although hallucinations frequently develop in dimmed environments and evening hours, the darkness of wintertime does not exacerbate hallucinations in PD subjects on stable medications. Because we found no evidence of seasonal variations, we cannot recommend phototherapy or other strategies affecting chronobiological systems as research priorities to treat PD hallucinations. (c) 2006 Movement Disorder Society.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jun
pubmed:issn
0885-3185
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
21
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
863-5
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2006
pubmed:articleTitle
Does seasonal variation affect hallucinations in PD? A longitudinal study.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA. cgoetz@rush.edu
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article