Low Prevalence of Postactivation Effect (Kohnstamm Phenomenon) in People with Parkinson’s Disease May be Associated with Bradykinesia

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Abstract

The study was aimed at exploring the prevalence and characteristics of the postactivation effect (PAE) in the deltoid muscles (DM) among individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and its possible correlation with PD symptoms using surface electromyography (sEMG), in the off- and on-medication phases. Ten of 29 of individuals with PD (34.5%) were PAE-positive, since PAE was triggered in them. The duration of PAE was different on the right and left sides in 5 of 10 paPAE-positive participants, and was 46 ± 30.1 s for the right and 47.2 ± 27.5 s for the left side, the latency of PAE was 0.5–2.4 s. The prevalence, duration and amplitude of EMG during PAE did not differ in the states “before” and “after” taking antiparkinsonian therapy. The severity of bradykinesia according to the UPDRS score was lower in the group of PAE-positive participants (1.35 ± 0.9) compared to the PAE-negative ones (2.11 ± 0.6; p < 0.01). The severity of bradykinesia was inversely correlated with the duration of PAE, and akinesia was inversely correlated with the amplitude of the PAE EMG. The results prompt that in individuals with PD PAE is likely inhibited by mechanisms associated with bradykinesia.

About the authors

A. Yu Meigal

Petrozavodsk State University

Author for correspondence.
Email: meigal@petrsu.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2088-5101
Dr. Sci. (Medicine), professor, Head of the Department Petrozavodsk, Russian Federation

L. I Gerasimova-Meigal

Petrozavodsk State University

Email: gerasimova@petrsu.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3677-3764
Dr. Sci. (Medicine), professor Petrozavodsk, Russian Federation

E. G Antonen

Petrozavodsk State University

Email: antonen@petrsu.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9445-0752
Dr. Sci. (Medicine), professor, Head of the Department Petrozavodsk, Russian Federation

A. E Peskova

Petrozavodsk State University

Email: peskova@petrsu.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0008-0000-8738
specialist Petrozavodsk, Russian Federation

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