Skip to main content
Advertisement
  • Neurology.org
  • Journals
    • Neurology
    • Clinical Practice
    • Genetics
    • Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation
  • Specialty Sites
    • COVID-19
    • Practice Current
    • Practice Buzz
    • Without Borders
    • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
    • Innovations in Care Delivery
  • Collections
    • Topics A-Z
    • Residents & Fellows
    • Infographics
    • Patient Pages
    • Null Hypothesis
    • Translations
  • Podcast
  • CME
  • About
    • About the Journals
    • Contact Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Authors
    • Submit a Manuscript
    • Author Center

Advanced Search

Main menu

  • Neurology.org
  • Journals
    • Neurology
    • Clinical Practice
    • Genetics
    • Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation
  • Specialty Sites
    • COVID-19
    • Practice Current
    • Practice Buzz
    • Without Borders
    • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
    • Innovations in Care Delivery
  • Collections
    • Topics A-Z
    • Residents & Fellows
    • Infographics
    • Patient Pages
    • Null Hypothesis
    • Translations
  • Podcast
  • CME
  • About
    • About the Journals
    • Contact Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Authors
    • Submit a Manuscript
    • Author Center
  • Home
  • Latest Articles
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Residents & Fellows

User menu

  • Subscribe
  • My Alerts
  • Log in

Search

  • Advanced search
Neurology
Home
The most widely read and highly cited peer-reviewed neurology journal
  • Subscribe
  • My Alerts
  • Log in
Site Logo
  • Home
  • Latest Articles
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Residents & Fellows

Share

April 14, 2020; 94 (15 Supplement) Wednesday, April 29

Blepharoclonus in Parkinson’s Disease: a prevalent and meaningful finding? (2174)

Jason Margolesky, Nicholas Fleming, Danielle Shpiner, Corneliu Luca, Henry Moore, Carlos Singer
First published April 14, 2020,
Jason Margolesky
1Neurology, University of Miami
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Nicholas Fleming
1Neurology, University of Miami
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Danielle Shpiner
1Neurology, University of Miami
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Corneliu Luca
1Neurology, University of Miami
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Henry Moore
1Neurology, University of Miami
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Carlos Singer
1Neurology, University of Miami
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Citation
Blepharoclonus in Parkinson’s Disease: a prevalent and meaningful finding? (2174)
Jason Margolesky, Nicholas Fleming, Danielle Shpiner, Corneliu Luca, Henry Moore, Carlos Singer
Neurology Apr 2020, 94 (15 Supplement) 2174;

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Permissions

Make Comment

See Comments

Downloads
0

Share

  • Article
  • Info & Disclosures
Loading

Abstract

Objective: To assess the prevalence of blepharoclonus (eye lid fluttering) in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). If blepharoclonus is determined to be present in early PD stages, or if present in prodromal PD, then it may be a useful clinical diagnostic biomarker.

Background: Blepharoclonus elicited with gentle eyelid closure was reported with parkinsonism in congenital hydrocephalus, but has not reported in associated with PD. We have observed sustained eye lid fluttering upon gentle eye closure to be a common phenomenon in PD.

Design/Methods: We evaluated 20 consecutive new PD patients. We recorded patient’s age, sex, disease duration and Hoehn and Yahr (HY) stage. Blepharoclonus was considered present if eyelid fluttering was sustained for >5 seconds after gentle eye closure. For each patient we completed the REM Sleep Behavior Disorder Questionnaire (RBDQ), and recorded non motor features including anxiety, depression, subjective hyposmia/anosmia, and constipation. Eye lid fluttering was videotaped (examples embedded into poster).

Results: Of the 20 PD patients, 17 (85%) had sustained blepharoclonus. Our cohort included 6 (30%) women. Mean age was 67.1 years. Mean disease duration was 4.3 years. HY stages 1–5 are represented; HY1 (n=6; 30%), HY2 (n=11; 55%), HY3 (n=1; 5%), HY4 (n=1; 5%), and HY5 (n=1; 5%), and blepharoclonus was present in HY1 patients. 6 patients (30%) had RBDQ score >5 (suggestive for presence of RBD); 5 (83.3%) of these patients had blepharoclonus. Anosmia/hyposmia, constipation, anxiety and depression were present in 11 (55%), 11 (55%), 6 (30%) and 9 (45%), respectively.

Conclusions: Blepharoclonus is prevalent in PD, present in 85% of our cohort, including early PD stages, but it is not yet known if it is a potential prodromal symptom. To further investigate the utility of this finding as a prodromal diagnostic biomarker, its prevalence could be assessed in patients with idiopathic RBD without clinically apparent parkinsonism.

Disclosure: Dr. Margolesky has nothing to disclose. Dr. Fleming has nothing to disclose. Dr. Shpiner has nothing to disclose. Dr. Luca has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Abbott, Boston Scientific.. Dr. Moore has nothing to disclose. Dr. Singer has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with I have received payment for my work as a video panelist from CNS Ratings LLC reviewing videos for a Mitsubishi Pharmaceutical sponsored study.. Dr. Singer has received research support from Sunovion, Adamas, Pharma2B, Biogen.

Disputes & Debates: Rapid online correspondence

No comments have been published for this article.
Comment

NOTE: All authors' disclosures must be entered and current in our database before comments can be posted. Enter and update disclosures at http://submit.neurology.org. Exception: replies to comments concerning an article you originally authored do not require updated disclosures.

  • Stay timely. Submit only on articles published within the last 8 weeks.
  • Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
  • 200 words maximum.
  • 5 references maximum. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
  • 5 authors maximum. Exception: replies can include all original authors of the article.
  • Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.

More guidelines and information on Disputes & Debates

Compose Comment

More information about text formats

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
Author Information
NOTE: The first author must also be the corresponding author of the comment.
First or given name, e.g. 'Peter'.
Your last, or family, name, e.g. 'MacMoody'.
Your email address, e.g. higgs-boson@gmail.com
Your role and/or occupation, e.g. 'Orthopedic Surgeon'.
Your organization or institution (if applicable), e.g. 'Royal Free Hospital'.
Publishing Agreement
NOTE: All authors, besides the first/corresponding author, must complete a separate Disputes & Debates Submission Form and provide via email to the editorial office before comments can be posted.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Vertical Tabs

You May Also be Interested in

Back to top
  • Article
  • Info & Disclosures
Advertisement

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.

Alert Me

  • Alert me when eletters are published
Neurology: 96 (9)

Articles

  • Ahead of Print
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Popular Articles
  • Translations

About

  • About the Journals
  • Ethics Policies
  • Editors & Editorial Board
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise

Submit

  • Author Center
  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Information for Reviewers
  • AAN Guidelines
  • Permissions

Subscribers

  • Subscribe
  • Activate a Subscription
  • Sign up for eAlerts
  • RSS Feed
Site Logo
  • Visit neurology Template on Facebook
  • Follow neurology Template on Twitter
  • Visit Neurology on YouTube
  • Neurology
  • Neurology: Clinical Practice
  • Neurology: Genetics
  • Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation
  • AAN.com
  • AANnews
  • Continuum
  • Brain & Life
  • Neurology Today

Wolters Kluwer Logo

Neurology | Print ISSN:0028-3878
Online ISSN:1526-632X

© 2021 American Academy of Neurology

  • Privacy Policy
  • Feedback
  • Advertise