American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) Practice Exam

Parkinson's disease is characterized by a distinctive set of motor symptoms, one of which includes gait disturbances. Individuals with Parkinson's disease often exhibit bradykinesia, which is the slowness of movement, leading to difficulty initiating gait. However, as they begin to walk, they may experience a phenomenon known as "freezing" or involuntary acceleration, where they may suddenly accelerate unexpectedly during ambulation. This can result in a shuffling, hurried gait.

The gait disturbances in Parkinson's are also accompanied by postural instability and tremors, which further contribute to the complexity of their movement patterns. The motor symptoms are a direct result of the degenerative changes in the basal ganglia, particularly affecting dopamine-producing neurons, which play a crucial role in the regulation of voluntary movement.

Other disorders mentioned do not typically manifest with the same gait disturbances or involuntary acceleration characteristics specifically associated with Parkinson's disease. For instance, while Huntington's disease is also a movement disorder, it primarily features chorea and not the same characteristics of gait acceleration. Alcohol intoxication may lead to ataxia and unsteady gait but does not share the specific involuntary acceleration element. Astasia-abasia describes a disordered posture and gait but is not singularly identified