Parkinson’s Disease & Movement Disorders

Biography

Biography: Yoland Smith

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is commonly seen as a progressive neurodegenerative disorder associated with motor deficits that result from the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). Although dopaminergic neuronal loss is, indeed, the main source of Parkinsonian motor signs (rest tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity), it has become clear in recent decades that PD is far more than a mere movement disorder. PD patients often suffer of a large variety of cognitive, autonomic and psychiatric problems which, for many, are far more debilitating than their motor deficits. Furthermore, many of these non-motor signs do not respond well to the conventional dopamine replacement therapy commonly used in most PD patients, thereby suggesting that they rely on dysfunction or degeneration of non-dopaminergic neuronal networks. In this presentation, author will discuss evidence from our laboratory and others showing that key glutamatergic and GABAergic systems undergo significant reorganization and degeneration in PD, which leads to maladaptive synaptic plasticity and complex neuronal network dysfunction. Author will propose that dysregulation of these non-dopaminergic systems contribute to the pathophysiology of various motor and non-motor deficits commonly seen in PD. To conclude, author will highlight the importance that we recognize the complex and diverse nature of PD symptoms and that research efforts in gaining a strong knowledge of the pathophysiology of non-dopaminergic systems in PD are critical to our understanding of the disease and the development of efficient anti-Parkinsonian therapy that extend beyond motor deficits.