Introduction: Few reports exist on movement disorders in Nigeria, particularly in the oil rich
Niger delta region. Available reports have documented Parkinson`s disease as the most
common.
Method: To determine the spectrum and frequency of movement disorders seen at the
University of Calabar outpatient neurology clinic, we reviewed the patients who presented with
movement disorders at the clinic over a 1 ½ year period.
Results: out of 427 patients with neurological conditions, 78 (18.3%) were cases of movement
disorders. These comprised of 51 (65.4%) male and 27 (34.6%) female patients. Parkinsonism
was the most common presentation, accounting for 41% of the patients. Others had Essential
tremor (23.1%), Dystonias (14.1%), Cerebellar disorders (14.1%), Tics (2.6%) and other
movement disorders made up the remaining 5.2%. Parkinson`s disease accounted for 87.4% of
patients with parkinsonism. The mean age of Parkinsonism patients was 61.2 years ± 11.73.
Conclusion: Parkinson`s disease was the most common movement disorder diagnosis followed
by Essential tremor. Patients who presented with Parkinsonism tend to be older than those
with other types of movement disorders.