Parkinson's Disease - Definition, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system. Parkinson's disease occurs when nerve cells, or neurons, in an area of the brain called the substantia nigra die or become impaired. Normally, these neurons produce a chemical called dopamine in the brain important. At least 500,000 people in the United States currently have PD. Parkinson's disease belongs to a group of conditions called movement disorders. Parkinson's disease is progressive, meaning the signs and symptoms worsen over time. But although Parkinson's may eventually be disabling, the disease often progresses slowly. Parkinson's disease affects movement (motor symptoms). Typical symptoms include other disorders of mood, behavior, thought and sensation (non-motor symptoms). symptoms of individual patients can be very different and the progression of the disease is also distinctly different. Parkinson's usually begins around the age of 60 years. It is more common in men than in women. Symptoms of Parkinson's disease often start on one side of the body first and then assign both sides.
There are many secondary symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease. patients with Parkinson's disease may notice that they are weaker or more tired. Symptoms include mood disorders, behavior, thinking and feeling. Poor balance is due to the impairment or loss of reflexes that adjust posture in order to maintain balance. Falls are common in people with Parkinson's. Shaking (muscle tremor). This is one of the first symptoms in three quarters of the population, and affects most people with Parkinson's disease. Bradykinesia is the phenomenon of a person experiencing slow movements. In addition to slow movements, a person with bradykinesia will probably incomplete movement, difficulty initiating movements and sudden stopping of ongoing movement. The progressive loss of voluntary and involuntary muscle control produces a number of secondary symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease. Postural instability or impaired balance and coordination, causes patients to develop a forward or backward lean and fall easily.
Parkinson's disease requires a large-scale management, including patient and family education, support group services, maintaining general well-being, exercise and nutrition. Medications can help manage problems with walking, movement and tremor by increasing the availability of brain dopamine. Amantadine may also be added to carbidopa-levodopa therapy for people in the later stages of Parkinson's disease. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor drugs prolong the effect of carbidopa-levodopa therapy by blocking an enzyme that degrades dopamine. Tolcapone (Tasmar) is a potent COMT inhibitor that readily crosses the blood-brain barrier. A drug called levodopa is often given to people who have Parkinson's disease. Called "L-dopa, the drug increases the amount of dopamine in the body and has been shown to improve a person's ability to walk and move. Thalamotomy involves the destruction of small amounts of tissue in the thalamus - a major brain center for relaying messages and transmitting sensations.
Parkinson's Disease Treatment Tips
1. Carbidopa and benserazide are dopa decarboxylase inhibitors.
2. Tolcapone inhibits the COMT enzyme, thereby prolonging the effects of L-dopa, and has been used to complement the L-dopa.
3. Selegiline and rasagiline reduce the symptoms by inhibiting monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B).
Four. An antiviral drug, amantadine, can help reduce symptoms of Parkinson's disease and levodopa-induced dyskinesia.
5. COMT (catechol O-methyl transferase) inhibitors are a new class of drugs that stop the degradation of dopamine.
6. Other therapies that are important to manage and cope with.
Posted on March 4, 2010.
