Interrelations between the extrapyramidal and autonomic structures, functions and dysfunctions revealed by a study of Parkinson's disease
Ferrari, E.; Simone, F.
Acta Neurologica 8(5): 501-515
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-6276 PMID: 3799255 Document Number: 279315
Several observations seem to suggest substantial affinities between the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the extrapyramidal system (ES): clinical (vegetative symptoms in disorder of the ES, such as Parkinson's disease, and extrapyramidal symptoms in disorders of the ANS as idiopathic orthostatic hypotension); morphofunctional (aminergic-cholinergic balances); physiopathological (abnormalities by excesses or defects of the controlled functions all of which are "quantitatively" controlled by the ANS and ES, while their "qualitative" nature remains unaltered). In view of these affinities the ANS is interpreted as the "descending-viscerotropic" component and the ES the "ascending-cerebrotropic component" of a unitary "Common Brain Stem System" (Hess, 1954). The clinical-nosographic correlations of this unitary proposal are examined.