Visual signs and symptoms of multiple system atrophy

Abstract

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rare movement disorder and a member of the 'parkinsonian syndromes', which also include Parkinson's disease (PD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and corticobasal degeneration (CBD). Multiple system atrophy is a complex syndrome, in which patients exhibit a variety of signs and symptoms, including parkinsonism, ataxia and autonomic dysfunction. It can be difficult to separate MSA from the other parkinsonian syndromes but if ocular signs and symptoms are present, they may aid differential diagnosis. Typical ocular features of MSA include blepharospasm, excessive square-wave jerks, mild to moderate hypometria of saccades, impaired vestibular-ocular reflex (VOR), nystagmus and impaired event-related evoked potentials. Less typical features include slowing of saccadic eye movements, the presence of vertical gaze palsy, visual hallucinations and an impaired electroretinogram (ERG). Aspects of primary vision such as visual acuity, colour vision or visual fields are usually unaffected. Management of the disease to deal with problems of walking, movement, daily tasks and speech problems is important in MSA. Optometrists can work in collaboration with the patient and health-care providers to identify and manage the patient's visual deficits. A more specific role for the optometrist is to correct vision to prevent falls and to monitor the anterior eye to prevent dry eye and control blepharospasm.

Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/cxo.12206
Divisions: College of Health & Life Sciences > School of Optometry > Optometry
College of Health & Life Sciences > School of Optometry > Optometry & Vision Science Research Group (OVSRG)
College of Health & Life Sciences
College of Health & Life Sciences > School of Optometry > Vision, Hearing and Language
College of Health & Life Sciences > Clinical and Systems Neuroscience
Additional Information: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Armstrong, R. A. (2014). Visual signs and symptoms of multiple system atrophy. Clinical and experimental optometry, 97(6), 483-491, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cxo.12206. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving.
Uncontrolled Keywords: autonomic dysfunction,dementia with lewy bodies,multiple system atrophy,Parkinsonism,progressive supranuclear palsy
Publication ISSN: 1444-0938
Last Modified: 01 Mar 2024 08:11
Date Deposited: 15 Jan 2015 14:45
Full Text Link:
Related URLs: http://www.scop ... tnerID=8YFLogxK (Scopus URL)
http://onlineli ... .12206/abstract (Publisher URL)
PURE Output Type: Article
Published Date: 2014-11-01
Published Online Date: 2014-09-25
Authors: Armstrong, Richard A. (ORCID Profile 0000-0002-5046-3199)

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