Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0026837 (muscle rigidity)
 1,077 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Spasticity (muscle rigidity and spasms) is a frequent and disabling feature of multiple sclerosis (MS), and it can have a marked negative impact on the patient's overall wellbeing and quality of life through a range of symptoms including impaired mobility, bladder dysfunction, stiffness, spasms and sleep disorders. Numerous antispastic agents such as baclofen and tizanidine, as well as others, are available for the management of MS spasticity but, overall, they offer limited clinical benefit. The current questionnaire survey assessed the epidemiology and management of MS spasticity globally and across the EU, among 157 healthcare professionals (>95% of all respondents were neurologists) attending a large, international MS congress (European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, Lyon, France, 10-13 October 2012). Survey results showed similarity between the EU and rest-of-world respondents in the epidemiology of MS spasticity, the use of assessment tools to monitor patients, the incidence and severity of symptoms, and management options. Respondents indicated that approximately 40% of their MS patients had spasticity and it was rated as mild in approximately 40%, moderate in 35% and severe in 25% of patients. At least 40% of practitioners were dissatisfied with treatment options in their patients with moderate-to-severe MS; this highlights the unmet needs and challenges facing specialists in the management of MS patients with moderate-to-severe spasticity.
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PMID:Multiple sclerosis spasticity: 'state-of-the-art' questionnaire survey of specialized healthcare professionals. 2336 56

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common, late-onset neurodegenerative disorder that shows progressive extrapyramidal motor disorders (e.g., bradykinesia, resting tremors, muscle rigidity and postural instability) and various non-motor symptoms (e.g., cognitive impairment, mood disorders, autonomic dysfunction and sleep disorders). While dopaminergic agents such as L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) and dopamine D2 agonists are widely used for the treatment of PD, there is still high clinical unmet need for novel medications that overcome the limitations of current therapies. Evidence is now accumulating that the serotonergic nervous system is involved in the pathophysiological basis of PD and can provide benefits in the treatment of PD through its diverse functions. Among 5-HT receptor subtypes, 5-HT1A, 5-HT2, 5-HT3 and 5-HT6 receptors play an important role in modulating extrapyramidal motor disorders. In addition, 5-HT1A, 5-HT2, 5-HT3, 5-HT4 and 5-HT6 receptors are implicated in modulation of cognitive impairment, mood disorders (e.g., depression and anxiety) and/or psychosis, which are frequently observed in patients with PD. Specifically, stimulation of 5-HT1A receptors seems to be effective for multiple PD symptoms including parkinsonism, L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia, cognitive impairment, mood disorders and neurodegeneration of dopamine neurons. Blockade of 5-HT2 receptors is also likely to improve parkinsonism, depressive mood and cognitive impairment. In addition, it was recently demonstrated that 5-HT2A inverse agonists can alleviate PD psychosis. All these findings emphasize the therapeutic roles of the serotonergic system in PD and stimulate new insight into novel treatments by modulating 5-HT1A and 5-HT2 receptors.
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PMID:New insight into the therapeutic role of the serotonergic system in Parkinson's disease. 2645 57