Central fatigue in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common and disabling symptom that further worsens the patients’ quality of life. A deficit in the serotonergic system may be implicated in the occurrence of fatigue in patients with PD as well as in those with other chronic conditions characterized by fatigue. The loudness dependence of auditory evoked potentials (LDAEP) is a neurophysiological tool that has proved to be effective in measuring the serotonergic central function in vivo. The aim of the present study was to assess central serotonergic activity in PD patients and to explore its possible association with the presence of fatigue. LDAEP was recorded in 38 PD patients (26 without fatigue – PDnF and 12 with fatigue – PDF) and 34 healthy controls. A significant difference between parkinsonian patients and controls emerged, with patients displaying stronger LDAEP values (which reflect a lower serotonergic central tone) than controls. By contrast, no differences in LDAEP emerged between PDF and PDnF. Our electrophysiological data confirmed the presence of a deficit in serotonergic central transmission in PD. An association between this deficit and fatigue was not demonstrated. It is likely that an altered dopamine/serotonin balance, rather than a serotonin deficit alone, is involved in the genesis of central fatigue. This complex and multifaceted symptom is related above all to a dysfunction in the striato-thalamo-cortical loop that connects the neostriatum to the frontal lobe and is strongly affected by motivation.

帕金森病 (PD) 中的中枢疲劳是一种常见的致残症状，会进一步恶化患者的生活质量。5-羟色胺能系统的缺陷可能与 PD 患者以及其他以疲劳为特征的慢性病患者的疲劳有关。听觉诱发电位 (LDAEP) 的响度依赖性是一种神经生理学工具，已被证明可有效测量体内血清素能中枢功能。本研究的目的是评估 PD 患者的中枢 5-羟色胺能活性，并探讨其与疲劳存在的可能关联。LDAEP 在 38 名 PD 患者（26 名无疲劳 - PDnF 和 12 名有疲劳 - PDF）和 34 名健康对照者中记录。帕金森病患者和对照组之间出现了显着差异，与对照组相比，患者显示出更强的 LDAEP 值（反映了较低的血清素能中心音）。相比之下，PDF 和 PDnF 之间的 LDAEP 没有差异。我们的电生理数据证实了 PD 中血清素能中枢传递的缺陷。没有证明这种缺陷与疲劳之间存在关联。多巴胺/血清素平衡的改变，而不仅仅是血清素缺乏，很可能与中枢疲劳的发生有关。这种复杂和多方面的症状首先与连接新纹状体和额叶的纹状体-丘脑-皮质环的功能障碍有关，并且受到动机的强烈影响。PDF 和 PDFnF 之间的 LDAEP 没有差异。我们的电生理数据证实了 PD 中血清素能中枢传递的缺陷。没有证明这种缺陷与疲劳之间存在关联。多巴胺/血清素平衡的改变，而不仅仅是血清素缺乏，很可能与中枢疲劳的发生有关。这种复杂和多方面的症状首先与连接新纹状体和额叶的纹状体-丘脑-皮质环的功能障碍有关，并且受到动机的强烈影响。PDF 和 PDFnF 之间的 LDAEP 没有差异。我们的电生理数据证实了 PD 中血清素能中枢传递的缺陷。没有证明这种缺陷与疲劳之间存在关联。多巴胺/血清素平衡的改变，而不仅仅是血清素缺乏，很可能与中枢疲劳的发生有关。这种复杂和多方面的症状首先与连接新纹状体和额叶的纹状体-丘脑-皮质环的功能障碍有关，并且受到动机的强烈影响。参与中枢疲劳的发生。这种复杂和多方面的症状首先与连接新纹状体和额叶的纹状体-丘脑-皮质环的功能障碍有关，并且受到动机的强烈影响。参与中枢疲劳的发生。这种复杂和多方面的症状首先与连接新纹状体和额叶的纹状体-丘脑-皮质环的功能障碍有关，并且受到动机的强烈影响。