Parkinson’s disease and Abnormal Movements Clinic

It is caused by a lack of the neurotransmitter dopamine that is present deep in the brain. Parkinson’s is estimated to affect some 30,000 people in Belgium, which is about 2.5 people for every 1,000 inhabitants. Parkinson’s disease is slightly more prevalent among men than women. The causes remain unclear and complex genetic and environmental factors are no doubt involved. Typical signs of Parkinson’s are resting tremors, stiffness and slowness of movement. There can also be non-motor symptoms that may affect sleep, behaviour or memory for example.

Neurologists can prescribe medication. This does not treat the disease itself but is effective in alleviating symptoms. Physiotherapy can also play an important role in maintaining a good physical condition. A complete physiotherapy assessment can be carried out in cooperation with the Centre for Adult Neurological Functional Rehabilitation. At an advanced stage of the disease, deep brain stimulation  may be proposed in cooperation with the Department of Neurosurgery, especially for persons  aged under 70. Other persons can benefit from pump treatment that introduces medication into the digestive tract. This is carried out in cooperation with the Department of Gastroenterology.   

Certain rare diseases can resemble the early stages of Parkinson’s disease. Neurologists will draw on their expertise to detect specific signs of these diseases that are known as  Parkinson-plus syndromes and they will make the differentiation, often in cooperation with the Departments of Diagnostic Neuroradiology, Nuclear Medicine and in association with neuropsychologists.   

Not all tremors indicate Parkinson’s. Essential tremor is a disease that can be distinguished by the fact that the trembling is the only symptom and is distinctive in that it occurs when making certain movements, such as eating, drinking or brushing your teeth. It is often overlooked despite the fact that it is probably more common than Parkinson’s disease. It can be treated very effectively with medication and more rarely with neurosurgery.   

Dystonia is a neurological disease resulting in an abnormal muscle tone caused by a bad signal sent by the brain. Persons with dystonia suffer from involuntary muscle contractions. This causes abnormal posture or movements, such as torticolis, writer’s cramp and blepharospasm (involuntary contraction of the eyelid muscles). It can also be generalised, confining patients  to a wheelchair or distorting  the skeleton. It can affect people of any age, including children. Treatment is by medication, especially botulinum toxin injections, and sometimes by neurosurgery with deep brain stimulation.   

Huntington’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterised by involuntary movements that are called chorea, cognitive disorders and behavioural disorders. It is transmitted by parents to the children with a 50% risk of transmission. A simple genetic test gives a diagnosis with 100% certainty. There is worldwide registration of Huntingdon’s disease, on the  Enroll-HD research platform to which we contribute, and that operates as a gateway to possible clinical trials. Treatment is for the symptoms only and of limited effectiveness although progress in recent years is encouraging.  

Other pathologies are also treated:   restless leg syndrome, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, paroxymal dyskinesia, orthostatic tremors, etc.