 |
 |
RE; Parkinsonian mask I believe the parkinsonian mask fits right in with so much of the other p= d pathology of which walking problems are the classic model. In walking people have two types of gait. One I call externally cued, for example fording a stream by carefully placing one's feet on the randomly protrudi= ng stones (external environmental cues). The other is automatic walking (or= unconscious walking) the kind of walking one does without thinking about = it - that allows one to carry on a conversation or read a book at the same time. In the presence of the appropriate visual cues externally cued walking occurs in the akinetic PD person. Masking can also be overcome b= y the appropriate external cue. For example if you tell a masked pd person= to smile he will grmace in his attempt to smile. However, tell the same = PD person a joke which he genuinely finds humourous and he can smile naturally. Also, many of these symptoms appear to be bundled. For example an akinetic person almost always exhibits the mask. If one overcomes akinesia via a visual cue the mask is suppressed as well. regards, Tom