Abstract
Background: Parkinson’s disease is an increasingly common neurodegenerative disease that has a substantial personal, social and economic cost. Although the cardinal symptoms of the disease are motor impairment, non-motor symptoms are arguably just as important for their effect on quality of life. Parkinson’s disease also has a highly heterogeneous symptom presentation. The mainstay of treatment has for many years been levodopa, and more recently dopamine agonists, which can alleviate some of the motor symptoms, but can have severe side-effects, can lose effectiveness over time and do not have an effect on non-motor symptoms. Thus, new treatment modalities are required for management of this disease.
Objective: To describe the effect of a multidisciplinary approach for the treatment of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, incorporating photobiomodulation (PBM), exercise, diet and careful control of medication.
Methods: Participants presented to either a Parkinson’s clinic in Sydney, Australia or to a Parkinson’s rehabilitation centre in Hamilton, Canada. Participants were self-referred, referred by a neurologist, or had been enrolled in a clinical trial and had continued with treatment for two additional years. All participants received PBM therapy to the abdomen and neck and participated in a targeted Parkinson’s specific exercise program.
Results: All participants reported improvements in some of their Parkinson’s symptoms, both motor and non-motor, including mobility and gait, balance, fine motor control, cognition, quality of life, and sense of smell. These improvements were maintained over a number of years.
Conclusion: A multidisciplinary and individual approach to the treatment of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease may be an effective way to improve some symptoms and to potentially delay disease progression.