Clinical peculiarities of an early stage of Parkinson's disease

One hundred and forty-nine patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), mean age 66.3 years, have been examined. It was found that the early stage of the disease might include isolated depression, minimal movement disorders and functional compensation, the latter being observed during L-Dopa treatment. In general, the peculiarities of this stage comprise polymorphism of clinical symptoms, predominance of movement disorders over high mental dysfunctions and slow progression of pathological disorders with patient's adaptation to developing defect and reversibility of some dysfunctions under the treatment. The early stage was distinguished also by independence of high mental functions damage on movement disorders severity. More pronounced disturbances were detected in akinetic PD type in the presence of depression in the older patients. Depression may be a prodrome of movement disorders manifestation. The above peculiarities of the early stage are important for early PD diagnosis.