Parkinson’s Disease and it’s Treatment Details

Parkinson’s disease, also called paralysis agitans or shaking palsy is a movement disorder. Cases of PD are reported at all ages, though it is uncommon in people younger than 40. This disease is more common among men and usually occurs after 60 years. The average age at which symptoms begin in the USA. is 58-60.

The nerve cells in the part of the brain which control movements are mainly affected. The nerve cells (neurons) which make the chemical called dopamine either don’t work sufficiently or are completely destroyed. The real cause behind this had never been identified. Though, many risk factors have been enumerated in literature.

Symptoms: 

• Small, cramped handwriting (micrographia)
• Dementia and confusion
• Fear or anxiety
• Slow thinking & memory problems
• Sexual dysfunction
• Fatigue and body aches
• Compulsive behaviors
• Loss of energy
• Sleep disturbances: excessive daytime sleepiness; insomnia; vivid, disturbing dreams.

Causes :

Why Parkinson's Disease occurs, no one knows. These are some factors that scientists believe predisposes individuals to PD.

• Genetic factors: About 15 to 25 percent of people with Parkinson's report having a relative with the disease. This means that if your parent has Parkinson's, your chances of developing the disease are slightly higher than the risk in the general population.
• Studies have revealed that there may be more of a genetic basis to young-onset PD (that is, the 10 percent or so of people with Parkinson's for whom onset occurs at or before age 50) than to later-onset PD.
• The vast majority of Parkinson's cases are not directly inherited, but researchers have discovered several genes that can cause the disease in a small number of families. Genetic diseases occur when important genes contain mutations, which result in abnormal proteins that in turn cause disease.
• Environmental factors: Scientists have suggested that Parkinson's disease may result from exposure to an environmental toxin or injury. Research has identified several factors that may be linked to PD, including rural living, well water, herbicide use and exposure to pesticides. Pesticides are thought to adversely affect the brain by inhibiting energy production resulting in brain cell death.
      Studies have also shown that smoking and caffeine use appear to protect against the development of PD. However, it is universally agreed that the health risks associated with smoking are worse than any incidental benefits that might be gained by this habit.
      Also, a synthetic narcotic agent called MPTP can cause immediate and permanent Parkinsonism if injected.
• Head trauma: Past episodes of head trauma are reported more frequently by sufferers than by others in the population.
• Drug induced: Antipsychotics, which are used to treat schizophrenia and psychosis, can induce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease (or parkinsonism) by lowering dopaminergic activity.