Parkinson's Disease
​
Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. It develops gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. But while a tremor may be the most well-known sign of Parkinson's disease, the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement.
In the early stages of Parkinson's disease, a person's face may show little or no expression, or arms may not swing when you walk. The person afflicted by the disease may or may not have problem with their her/his but speech may become soft or slurred. Parkinson's disease symptoms worsen as the disease progresses over time.
Although we currently have no cure for Parkinson's disease, there are currently medications which may markedly improve symptoms. In occasional cases, doctors may suggest surgery to regulate certain regions of the patient's brain and improve symptoms.
​
Symptoms
​
Parkinson's disease symptoms and signs may vary from person to person. Early signs may be mild and may go unnoticed. Symptoms often begin on one side of the body and usually remain worse on that side, even after symptoms begin to affect both sides.
Parkinson's signs and symptoms may include (Mayo Clinic):
​
-
Tremor. A tremor, or shaking, usually begins in a limb, often hand or fingers. You may notice a back-and-forth rubbing of your thumb and forefinger, known as a pill-rolling tremor. One characteristic of Parkinson's disease is a tremor of your hand when it is relaxed (at rest).
-
Slowed movement (bradykinesia). Over time, Parkinson's disease may reduce your ability to move and slow your movement, making simple tasks difficult and time-consuming. Your steps may become shorter when you walk, or you may find it difficult to get out of a chair. Also, you may drag your feet as you try to walk, making it difficult to move.
-
Rigid muscles. Muscle stiffness may occur in any part of your body. The stiff muscles can limit your range of motion and cause you pain.
-
Impaired posture and balance. Your posture may become stooped, or you may have balance problems as a result of Parkinson's disease.
-
Loss of automatic movements. In Parkinson's disease, you may have a decreased ability to perform unconscious movements, including blinking, smiling or swinging your arms when you walk.
-
Speech changes. You may have speech problems as a result of Parkinson's disease. You may speak softly, quickly, slur or hesitate before talking. Your speech may be more of a monotone rather than with the usual inflections.
-
Writing changes. It may become hard to write, and your writing may appear small.
​
​
Causes
​
In Parkinson's disease, certain nerve cells (neurons) in the brain gradually break down or die. Many of the symptoms are due to a loss of neurons that produce a chemical messenger in your brain called dopamine. When dopamine levels decrease, it causes abnormal brain activity, leading to signs of Parkinson's disease.
​
The cause of Parkinson's disease is unknown, but several factors appear to play a role, including:
-
Your genes. Researchers have identified specific genetic mutations that can cause Parkinson's disease, but these are uncommon except in rare cases with many family members affected by Parkinson's disease.
However, scientists have found certain gene variations which appear to increase the risk of Parkinson's disease but with a relatively small risk of Parkinson's disease for each of these genetic markers.
-
Environmental triggers. Exposure to certain toxins or environmental factors may increase the risk of later Parkinson's disease, but the risk is relatively small.
Researchers have also noted that many changes occur in the brains of people with Parkinson's disease, although it's not clear why these changes occur. These changes include:
-
The presence of Lewy bodies. Clumps of specific substances within brain cells are microscopic markers of Parkinson's disease. These are called Lewy bodies, and researchers believe these Lewy bodies hold an important clue to the cause of Parkinson's disease.
-
Alpha-synuclein is found within Lewy bodies. Although many substances are found within Lewy bodies, scientists believe an important one is the natural and widespread protein called alpha-synuclein (A-synuclein). It's found in all Lewy bodies in a clumped form that cells can't break down. This is currently an important focus among Parkinson's disease researchers (Mayo Clinic).
​​
For more information, you can visit these sites:
​
​
National Parkinson's Foundation
​
​
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
There are also many other sites that we have not included here. Please contact us if you need more information.
​
​
​
​