Vascular parkinsonism in moyamoya: microvascular biopsy and imaging correlates.

We highlight the first case to our knowledge of vascular parkinsonism with angiographic moyamoya and functional imaging correlates. In addition, transmission electron microscopy of the cutaneous vasculature revealed the mean smooth muscle cell layer of the terminal arterioles to be significantly higher compared with ischemic stroke patients classified by vascular risk factors. Smooth muscle cell thickness was also greater in those with small vessel and large vessel strokes compared with cardioembolic strokes. The marked cutaneous arteriolar smooth muscle cell hypertrophy may be a useful surrogate marker for those at risk of developing angiographic moyamoya.