SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT ON MOVEMENT INITIATION ANDPOSTURAL CONTROL IN PARKINSONS-DISEASE - A CONTROLLED CLINICAL-STUDY

In a controlled clinical study, we investigated the effects of behavio ral treatment on postural and gait initiation problems in idiopathic P arkinson's disease (PD). Comparable groups of patients received behavi oral therapy (experimental group, n = 15) and nonspecific psychologica l treatment (control group. n = 14) for 10 weeks. We monitored various variables reflecting properties of posture and gait initiation by usi ng an optoelectronic motion analyzer (electronic movement analysis sys tem, ELITE). A clinician blind to group membership of the patients ass essed PD severity with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (U PDRS) before and after the treatment period. ELITE measures of postura l stability and movement initiation revealed treatment-specific effect s, In addition, UPDRS motor scores showed significant improvement only after behavioral treatment. We conclude that behavioral treatment in Parkinson's disease may improve motor disabilities in moderately advan ced PD patients.