Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a brain disorder that causes uncontrollable movements, such as shakiness, stiffness, or difficulty maintaining balance and coordination. Some patients can face difficulty in walking and talking as well. This disease mostly develops in people aged 60 and above, and men are more prone to develop it than women at a younger age, i.e. 56 years or younger. Parkinson’s can be inherited due to gene mutations, but its major cause is still unknown.
Parkinson’s disease affects the nervous system, causing different body parts to lose control. Symptoms usually start slowly and often appear on one side of the body and continue to worsen with time. Some major signs and symptoms include:
Failure of Automatic Movements: There will be a reduction in the ability to perform unconscious movements, for instance, smiling, blinking, or even swinging your arms when you walk or talk.
Slowed Movement: A major symptom of Parkinson’s disease is difficulty with basic movements. A person with this disease will find it difficult to perform simple tasks, and doing easy and regular activities takes more time than it used to. Even walking will become more difficult, first with shorter steps then starting to drag or shuffle their feet.
Tremor: Tremor is the rhythmic shaking that usually starts from limbs and moves towards the hand and fingers with time. A person will unintentionally rub their thumb and forefinger back and forth. The hands will start trembling while resting, but the trembling may decrease while completing some tasks.
Rigid Muscles and Impaired Posture: A person with Parkinson’s disease can experience stiffness of muscles in any part of the body. This stiffness can be painful and can limit body range. Overall posture will be slightly bent, and there will be a higher chance of balance problems due to Parkinson’s.
In Parkinson’s disease, the nerve cells in the brain start to breakdown and eventually die. Many symptoms develop because of the loss of neurons and a chemical produced by them called dopamine. The reduction in dopamine levels causes these atypical, impaired brain activities.
The main cause of Parkinson’s is still unknown, but here are some important factors that play a vital role in developing this disease. They are:
Genes: After a lot of research on this disease, doctors and scientists have found some genetic changes in people with Parkinson’s disease. It is a rare scenario and is usually common in families where many family members are affected by PD.
Environmental Triggers: Environmental factors and exposures to certain toxins or chemicals can also increase the risk of PD.
Risk factors of Parkinson’s disease include:
There is no specific laboratory test that can diagnose Parkinson’s disease, blood tests may be used to rule out other conditions that may be causing symptoms. However, a neurologist can diagnose it based on your medical history, symptoms and physical and neurological examination. The doctor may recommend SPECT scan, also known as a dopamine transporter (DAT) scan. This scan provides information on how the organs within the body are functioning. A SPECT scan is not necessary to diagnose Parkinson’s disease.
There is no cure for Parkinson’s, but some medications can be helpful in controlling symptoms. Doctors also suggest surgery for people who are experiencing severe symptoms and complications. Some common medications for treating this disease include Carbidopa-levodopa (inhaled or infused), dopamine agonists, MAO B inhibitors, Catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitors or even some Amantadine to give short-term relief of symptoms.