Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS): The UPDRS is the most commonly used to tool to rate the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. This scale is intended to be used to follow the course of Parkinson’s disease in patients over a period of time. It is made up of three parts: (1) Mentation (the process of thinking), Behavior, and Mood; (2) Activities of Daily Living; and (3) Motor symptoms.

Unilateral: Affecting, pertaining to, or confined to one side only.

Unverricht-Lundborg's disease (Baltic myoclonic epilepsy): A form of progressive myoclonic encephalopathy (PME) characterized by the development of repeated seizures or episodes of uncontrolled electrical activity of the brain (epilepsy); sudden, "shock-like" muscle contractions that may be induced by voluntary movements or in response to certain external stimuli (action or reflex myoclonus); and eventual impairment of coordination, postural instability, and other associated findings (i.e., cerebellar ataxia). Although mental deterioration may also be associated with the disorder, it is typically milder than that seen with Lafora's disease (another form of PME). Unverricht-Lundborg's disease is thought to be inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. Symptom onset typically begins from about age 6 to 13. The disorder is slowly progressive; however, the degree of disease progression and disability may be extremely variable among affected family members.

Upper motor neurons: Nerve cells extending from the brain to the spinal cord that control movement.

Vaginosis: Bacterial vaginosis involves the abnormal increased growth of certain bacteria in the vagina.

Valine: an essential amino acid.

Variable expressivity: Varying manifestation of a genetic trait. The term "expressivity" refers to the degree to which a hereditary trait appears in an individual. Thus, in individuals with a gene mutation for an autosomal dominant disorder that has variable expressivity, the specific characteristics that are manifested may vary in range and degree from mild to severe.

Vascular: Pertaining to or containing blood vessels.

Vasoconstrictor: A chemical substance whose actions result in the narrowing of blood vessels.

Vasodilator: A chemical substance whose actions cause an increase in the diameter of blood vessels.

Vasomotor: Pertaining to the muscles and nerves that control blood vessel diameter, thereby regulating or modulating blood pressure.

Ventral intermediate (VIM) nucleus: A specific region of the thalamus. This area of the brain is involved in the control of movement and is the "target" area for thalamotomy and deep brain stimulation when treating patients with tremor.

Ventriculography: Brain imaging method that uses an injected dye and X-rays to visualize the brain's ventricles (cavities)

Virulent: Referring to or characterized by virulence or the degree to which an invading microorganism, such as a bacterium or virus, is able to produce disease. Measures of virulence may be based upon the microorganism's ability to invade bodily tissues and the severity of the disease produced.

Visual-analog scale: This linear scale allows responses on a continuum.

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