Asymmetric Dopaminergic Dysfunction in Brain-First versus Body-First Parkinson’s Disease Subtypes

Abstract

iRBD subjects and de novo PD+RBD patients present with significantly more symmetric nigrostriatal dopaminergic degeneration compared to de novo PD-RBD patients. The results support the hypothesis that body-first PD is characterized by more symmetric distribution most likely due to more symmetric propagation of pathogenic α-synuclein compared to brain-first PD.