REVERSIBLE PARKINSONISM INDUCED BY HYPERCALCEMIA AND PRIMARY HYPERPARATHYROIDISM

We describe a patient who had the recent onset of both primary hyperpa rathyroidism and parkinsonism. Surgical removal of a parathyroid adeno ma was followed by spontaneous resolution of the parkinsonism. Hypopar athyroidism and other disorders of calcium metabolism are recognized c auses of secondary parkinsonism, while hyperparathyroidism is not. We review the relevant literature, which supports the hypothesis that hyp ercalcemia may have induced cytotoxic changes in the basal ganglia of this patients.