Effect of sleep deprivation on motor performance in patients with Parkinson's disease

Animal research provides evidence that sleep deprivation influences the dop amine system. Knowledge about the effect of sleep deprivation on motor perf ormance in patients with Parkinsons disease is scarce. This study examines the influence of total and partial sleep deprivation compared to normal sle ep on motor state and performance in Parkinson's disease. Fifteen nondepres sed patients with Parkinson's disease underwent one night of total sleep de privation (TSD), one night of partial sleep deprivation (PSD) after 3 a.m., and one control night of normal sleep (S), performed in a random, nonconse cutive order. Over a period of 3 hours the following morning, motor evaluat ions (United Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, [UPDRS] and tapping rate) we re performed before and every 30 minutes after intake of the usual morning dopaminergic drug dose. All patients underwent polysomnography apart from t he sleep deprivation protocol. Mean UPDRS motor scores and tapping velociti es did not differ significantly after each of the schedules, but a subgroup of four patients improved their motor score after partial sleep deprivatio n. These data do not confirm previous findings of an overall positive influ ence of sleep deprivation on motor function in Parkinson's disease. However , the results indicate that different response types to sleep deprivation m ay exist and that a subgroup of patients could benefit from partial sleep d eprivation. (C) 2001 Movement Disorder Society.