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A Survey on the Impact of the Menstrual Cycle on Movement Disorders Severity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2014

Anna Castrioto ,
Sara Hulliger ,
Yu-Yan Poon ,
Anthony E. Lang  and
Elena Moro
Anna Castrioto
Affiliation:
Movement Disorders Centre, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada Clinica Neurologica, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Ospedale S. Maria della Misericordia, Perugia, Italy
Sara Hulliger
Affiliation:
Toronto Western Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Yu-Yan Poon
Affiliation:
Movement Disorders Centre, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Anthony E. Lang
Affiliation:
Movement Disorders Centre, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Elena Moro*
Affiliation:
Movement Disorders Centre, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
*
Movement Disorders Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst St, McL7-402, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2S8, Canada.
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Abstract

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Background:

A possible influence of estrogens on the dopaminergic system has been hypothesized and investigated by several studies, and fluctuations in motor symptoms related to the menstrual cycle have been reported in some movement disorders patients. We designed a survey to quantify how frequently female patients with various movement disorders are affected by this phenomenon and its impact on symptom severity.

Methods:

A questionnaire was sent to 104 women between 18- and 60-years-old diagnosed with movement disorders and regularly followed at our centre.

Results:

From a total of 65 subjects who completed the questionnaire, 54 women reported the onset of their movement disorders before menopause. Twenty of them (37%) experienced changes in their movement disorders during the menstrual cycle. In particular, there was a significant worsening of symptom severity before (p=0.0005) and during menses (p=0.0004).

Conclusions:

The possible role of such changes should be taken into account when evaluating the efficacy of various therapeutic interventions in movement disorder patients.

Information

Type
Original Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 37 , Issue 4 , July 2010 , pp. 478 - 481
Copyright
Copyright © The Canadian Journal of Neurological 2010

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