Freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease

Efforts to identify brain and neurotransmitter deficits associated with FOG must continue. It is necessary to examine how FOG in PD patients is connected with freezing in patients with other disorders, such as PSP, atypical parkinsonism, PPFG, vascular parkinsonism, and normal pressure hydrocephalus. Discovery of FOG therapies that can be administered safely and cost-effectively in the early stages of disease is essential. Finally, it seems that underlying these therapeutic pursuits is the need to decide how FOG should be understood. Questions remain about whether freezing represents a distinct aspect of disease progression or a by-product of ongoing therapy. Thus, the study of FOG may result in relief from a highly debilitating symptom and may also provide a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms of PD and related disorders.