Abnormalities in postural reflexes and voluntarily induced automatic movements in Parkinson patients.

Postural abnormalities were systematically studied in 41 Parkinson patients in relation with the other Parkinson symptomatology. Evidence was collected that kinetic postural mechanisms, including turning in recumbant position, rising from the floor and walking, to be considered as volitional automatic movements, reacted differently on Levodopa therapy compared with static postural reflexes and the classical Parkinson symptoms. This suggests that the neuro-biochemical substrate of these postural movements may involve other than dopaminergic pathways as well.