The autonomic nervous system controls what we think of as automatic bodily functions: control of blood pressure, bowels, bladder, sweating, sexual function and so forth. Autonomic dysfunction is a cardinal sign of many Parkinson syndromes and a major source of dysfunction in this population. Its presence or absence helps determine the diagnosis of disorders such as Lewy Body Dementia and Multiple System Atrophy. MUSC has one of the few comprehensive laboratories in the U.S. devoted to studying patients with movement disorders. Testing autonomic function is non-invasive and may be performed in just a few hours without any special preparation on the part of the patient. |
