What is Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a widely known condition to the elderly and a rare condition to the young adult. This disease is included to a group of conditions called motor system disorders. This condition is sometimes referred to as paralysis agitans and shaking palsy. A disease coined from a British doctor James Parkinson, describing the condition as shaking palsy. This condition is a result from the insufficient dopamine-secreting cells which primary action is to control our body’s movements.
Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms
The motor function of the person affected with Parkinson’s disease is the target. The primary symptoms would include the voluntary and involuntary motor functions of the body. Over time, as the disease progresses, the symptoms can be uncontrollable. It starts from mild manifestations then into incapacitating, as what most affected person would say. These are the motor symptoms that PD patients experience:
Tremors
These tremors are the first discoverable symptoms of PD patients. It includes the trembling of the fingers, hands, arms, feet, jaw, or head. A resting tremor is a common manifestation. It can be worsened by feeling of excitement and stress.
Rigidity
Body stiffness is usually associated with pain and muscle aches. This is described as stiffness of the limbs and the trunk that results to losing one’s hand movement. One of the presenting symptoms that would help us conclude that the patient is experiencing PD symptoms is the change in handwriting. When the patient’s handwriting seemed to have changed into a cramped one, called micrographia, literally meaning small handwriting.
Bradykinesia
Bradykinesia is slowed movement in layman’s term. As the condition progresses, the patient will have a hard time moving in the regular pace that he/she had from the past. This symptom is experienced when one is about to initiate a movement or when the patient is completing one.
Mask-like appearance
The patient is expressionless. This is primarily because of the stiffness that would now affect the facial muscles.
Postural instability
Maintaining one’s balance would bring much more effort to the affected person. This may lead to accidents such as falls and tripping over.
Change in gait
The gait of the individual affected is entirely changed. The more progressive the disease, the more prominent the change in gait is. This is described as the distinctive rapid shuffling walk with a stooped position (festination).
There are also some disturbances in the patients mind. As the condition progresses, it is possible that speech is altered. The ability to comprehend may be altered in some way. The thought and behavioral processes are affected thus expecting mood difficulties with the patient. Their attention and cognitive speed may be slow and their ability to recall things may take a longer time than it used to be.
Other systems of the body are also affected by this disorder. The patient may experience urinary incontinence, constipation, including insomnia and easy drowsiness. The patient’s eyes may have a decreased blink rate, resulting to dry eyes. The patient would complain of vision impairments too.
Parkinson’s Disease Causes
Dopamine, root of our motor movements, is a neurotransmitter that is produced by our brain’s substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area. This neurotransmitter is released by the “go signal” our hypothalamus. But a person who is suspected to have Parkinson’s disease would most likely have a defective substantia nigra. A low amount of dopamine can be very fatal. The communication between the substantia nigra and other dopamine-producing cells would bring to greater dopamine loss. As a result, this will give the patient movement-related symptoms.
This disease in most individuals came from an unknown cause. Still, 15% of cases are acquired from their family history. Those people who have family members who suffer from Parkinson’s disease may inherit the gene trait for this condition. Scientists have identified several genes that said to be the culprit of this disease. In their study they have identified 5 namely: SNCA, PARK2, PARK7, PINK 1, and LRRK2.
Another cause of this condition is stress. Scientists have pointed this out especially to the so-called oxidative stress. This would result to free radicals formation, which normal, but the brain and body would get rid of them. The abnormal production of free radicals can be a toxin and can cause damage to tissues of the brain and its neurons.
External and internal toxins such as; manganese, carbon monoxide, carbon disulfide and pesticides have been suggested too by scientists as causative factors for this condition. Their action may be to selectively destroy the dopaminergic neurons, thus causing Parkinson’s disease.
Person who have been treated for severe paranoia and schizophrenia have been identified to manifest in the later future a Parkinson-like condition. This is called Parkinsonism. These persons ingest drugs that have precipitated them to have the same symptoms a person with Parkinson’s disease experiences.
Normally or mostly the affected population for this condition is the old. The theory is supported by the loss of our brains protective mechanism as we grow old. With an increasing age, the primary effect would be degenerative.
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There are rare instances such as acquiring a viral infection can lead to Parkinson’s disease. Having other neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Wilson’s disease and Huntington’s disease have been linked to PD.
A low vitamin B6 in the body can aggravate the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The intake of vitamin B6 has been a help in reducing some symptoms of this condition. But the low amount of B6 in the body cannot be pointed out as a direct cause of this condition.
Parkinson’s Disease Treatment
The direct cure for this condition is not yet known. Neurologists would only treat patient’s presenting symptoms thus targeting the well-functioning neurotransmitter, dopamine.
A combination of drugs has been found very effective in treating the symptoms of the patient. Levodopa and carbidopa are the known drugs for this condition. The use of anticholinergics is also helpful controlling body tremor and rigidity.
Surgery which includes brain stimulation has been improved for the treatment of this condition. This is known to treat the symptoms of the patient.
Proper rehabilitation is found helpful to patients especially to those in the progressive state. This would incline to help them in their gait and stance.
Parkinson’s Disease Stages
Stage I
It is called the beginning stage. Signs and symptoms are one-sided, mild and not disabling.
Stage II
Symptoms appear on both sides of the body. There’s minimal disability noted and patient’s gait and posture are affected.
Stage III
the moderate Parkinson’s disease. There are significant changes of the patient’s body movements. A generalized dysfunction is noted but in a moderate severe phase.
Stage IV
Known as advanced Parkinson’s disease. The patient would present severe symptoms. Limitations are presented in daily activities of living. Assistance is a must for the patient.
Stage V
There is generalized reduction in the patient’s ability to move, body and mind. The patient would require great percent of assistance and care.
Parkinson’s Disease Life Expectancy
Age regarding this condition is a major part of this condition. It is said that the sufferers of this condition are the old one, primarily those who have long years in life and their brains have most likely degenerated. Those ages 60 years and above are the most affected. Thus, indicating that the age is a primary factor for this condition. Men are more generally affected than women. But in rare cases, young adults to middle aged adults have acquired this neurodegenerative disease.
But the question is what the mortality rate is for the affected individuals? They say that their life expectancy decreases as the disease lingers more in the system. It is because of the including risk factors of mortality that would make the affected easily obtain to a disease state. Because of the presenting symptoms, complications are quite common and their death can be inevitable at this time.
Parkinson’s Disease Prognosis
Since this condition is set to be a chronic and progressive one, it is hard to say what the probable result of this condition is. With the advancement of medical intervention these days, it is likely that the person who has Parkinson’s disease will survive. Strict adherence to medications and therapies can really do well in attaining a good prognosis. Having a great support system adds up to the very likable result. Although this condition is a debilitating one, others may experience less grave symptoms. But considering that this condition can progress over time, we can’t say that the person can attain what he/she can do before acquiring this disease.
