LIGHT THERAPY OF PATIENTS WITH PARKINSONI SM

40 patients with Idiopathic parkinsonism were treated by artificial wh ite light (Intensity - 3300 lux) together with total or partial ''drug s holidays''. The patients with newly-made diagnosis ''parkinsonism'' were treated too. Both before and after light therapy (LT) (10 light e xposures) we performed estimation of the main clinical manifestations of the disease (in rating scales), psychological assessment (Back's de pression rating scale), examination of motility (authors' own specal c omputer programm ''Hand's Movement Test for Windows''). It was observe d that LT resulted In a decrease of the severity of either rigidity or bradykinesia (but not the tremor) as well as it also decreased the de pression gravity and improved the motor functions. LT facilitated the patients' capacity to tolerate ''the drugs holidays''. LT permitted to combine it with drug therapy as well as LT decreased the complication s of DOPA-containing drugs (on-off- effects and dystonic hyperkinesias ). LT may be used as monotherapy In patients with Initial manifestatio ns of the disease. LT didn't cause any complications and was quite sim ple in carrying out. The conclusion is made about the perspectivity of LT application in parkinsonism treatment as important non-drug therap y.