Synergic cholinergic and dopaminergic role in motor symptoms of sporadic Parkinson’s disease

COEX 

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a dominant neurodegenerative disease, characterized with various motor symptoms.[1] Despite the prevailing dopaminergic treatments for PD motor symptoms,[2] no disease-modifying drugs exist,[3] which implicates the potential involvement of non-dopaminergic neurotransmitter systems. Previous autopsy study indicated that the α-synuclein deposition in nucleus basalis of Meynert (NbM) occurs as early as the Lewy bodies formation and dopaminergic neurons loss in substantia nigra (SN).[4] However, existing works usually explore the association between cholinergic/dopaminergic subcomponents and specific motor symptoms.[5-7] To date, there is a lack of systematic exploration for the relationship between all cholinergic/dopaminergic components and various motor symptoms. Here, using imaging data from Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), we characterize the cross-sectional and longitudinal role of multimodal cholinergic/dopaminergic regional measurements in motor symptoms. By dividing the PD patients into those present stable (Any) or no/unstable (Never) non-motor symptoms, we also explore the impact of non-motor symptoms on the roles of cholinergic/dopaminergic system.