Myelopathic motor symptoms overlaying Parkinson’s disease

James Groves; Dermot H. Mallon; Anouk Borg; Nathalie Zaidman; Thomas Foltynie; Patricia  Limousin; Arpan Mehta; L. V. Prasad Korlipara

doi:10.1136/pn-2025-004546

Myelopathic motor symptoms overlaying Parkinson’s disease

James Groves, Dermot H. Mallon, Anouk Borg, Nathalie Zaidman, Thomas Foltynie, Patricia Limousin, Arpan Mehta (Lead / Corresponding author), L. V. Prasad Korlipara (Lead / Corresponding author)

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Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) may increase the risk of degenerative cervical myelopathy, causing overlaying myelopathic motor symptoms that can be challenging to identify. However, this diagnosis must not be missed, given the risk of profound and lasting disability and the benefit of surgical intervention. We describe a fortnight in which three patients with PD were admitted to our inpatient Movement Disorders service with degenerative cervical myelopathy; each highlighting a distinct learning point regarding diagnosis or management. Firstly, that careful examination is crucial, and clinicians should always consider degenerative cervical myelopathy in a patient with PD whose mobility has dramatically reduced. Secondly, patients may need pharmacological suppression of cervical dyskinesias after surgery to prevent ongoing injury and to promote healing. Thirdly, medical factors, such as B12 deficiency, with the potential to exacerbate myelopathic effects,should be corrected.

Original language	English
Number of pages	4
Journal	Practical Neurology
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/pn-2025-004546
Publication status	Published - 26 Mar 2025

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Author Accepted ManuscriptAccepted author manuscript, 593 KBLicence: CC BY

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title = "Myelopathic motor symptoms overlaying Parkinson{\textquoteright}s disease",

abstract = "Parkinson{\textquoteright}s disease (PD) may increase the risk of degenerative cervical myelopathy, causing overlaying myelopathic motor symptoms that can be challenging to identify. However, this diagnosis must not be missed, given the risk of profound and lasting disability and the benefit of surgical intervention. We describe a fortnight in which three patients with PD were admitted to our inpatient Movement Disorders service with degenerative cervical myelopathy; each highlighting a distinct learning point regarding diagnosis or management. Firstly, that careful examination is crucial, and clinicians should always consider degenerative cervical myelopathy in a patient with PD whose mobility has dramatically reduced. Secondly, patients may need pharmacological suppression of cervical dyskinesias after surgery to prevent ongoing injury and to promote healing. Thirdly, medical factors, such as B12 deficiency, with the potential to exacerbate myelopathic effects,should be corrected.",

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AU - Groves, James

AU - Mallon, Dermot H.

AU - Borg, Anouk

AU - Zaidman, Nathalie

AU - Foltynie, Thomas

AU - Limousin, Patricia

AU - Mehta, Arpan

AU - Korlipara, L. V. Prasad

PY - 2025/3/26

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N2 - Parkinson’s disease (PD) may increase the risk of degenerative cervical myelopathy, causing overlaying myelopathic motor symptoms that can be challenging to identify. However, this diagnosis must not be missed, given the risk of profound and lasting disability and the benefit of surgical intervention. We describe a fortnight in which three patients with PD were admitted to our inpatient Movement Disorders service with degenerative cervical myelopathy; each highlighting a distinct learning point regarding diagnosis or management. Firstly, that careful examination is crucial, and clinicians should always consider degenerative cervical myelopathy in a patient with PD whose mobility has dramatically reduced. Secondly, patients may need pharmacological suppression of cervical dyskinesias after surgery to prevent ongoing injury and to promote healing. Thirdly, medical factors, such as B12 deficiency, with the potential to exacerbate myelopathic effects,should be corrected.

AB - Parkinson’s disease (PD) may increase the risk of degenerative cervical myelopathy, causing overlaying myelopathic motor symptoms that can be challenging to identify. However, this diagnosis must not be missed, given the risk of profound and lasting disability and the benefit of surgical intervention. We describe a fortnight in which three patients with PD were admitted to our inpatient Movement Disorders service with degenerative cervical myelopathy; each highlighting a distinct learning point regarding diagnosis or management. Firstly, that careful examination is crucial, and clinicians should always consider degenerative cervical myelopathy in a patient with PD whose mobility has dramatically reduced. Secondly, patients may need pharmacological suppression of cervical dyskinesias after surgery to prevent ongoing injury and to promote healing. Thirdly, medical factors, such as B12 deficiency, with the potential to exacerbate myelopathic effects,should be corrected.

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DO - 10.1136/pn-2025-004546

M3 - Article

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SN - 1474-7758

JO - Practical Neurology

JF - Practical Neurology

ER -

Myelopathic motor symptoms overlaying Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

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