Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that leads to shaking and difficulty with walking, movement, and coordination.
Causes and Risk Factors
Parkinson’s disease most often develops after age 50. PD is one of the most common nervous system disorders to affect the elderly. It can also occur in young adults and is very rare in children.
Parkinson’s disease occurs in families sometimes, making genetics a factor. For example, if a young person is affected, it is usually because a form of the disease runs in his/her family.
Nerve cells use a brain chemical called dopamine to help control muscle movement. PD occurs when the nerve cells that make dopamine are slowly destroyed. Without dopamine, the nerve cells in that section of the brain cannot properly send messages. In turn, there is a loss of muscle function, and the damage only worsens with time. The exact reason of why these brain cells waste away is unknown.
Symptoms
Parkinson’s disease can affect both sides of the body, but exactly how much function is lost can vary. Symptoms, however, may be mild at first.
Symptoms include:
- Automatic movements, like blinking, slow down or stop
- Difficulty swallowing
- Drooling
- Impaired balance and walking
- Lack of facial expression
- Muscle aches and pains
- Movement problems, such as difficulty eating and making fine hand movements
- Rigid or stiff muscles, often beginning in the legs
- Shaking, tremors
- Slowed, quieter speech and monotone voice
Other symptoms may include:
- Anxiety, stress, and tension
- Confusion
- Dementia
- Depression
- Fainting
- Hallucinations
- Memory loss
Treatment
There is no known cure for Parkinson’s disease. However, treatment can help to control symptoms.
Medications can control symptoms, mostly by increasing the levels of dopamine in the brain. During the day, the useful effects of the medication will often wear off, and symptoms can return. If this happens, your doctor may need to change the:
- Type of medication
- Dosage
- Amount of time between doses
- Manner in which the medications are taken
Always keep your doctor informed about how treatment is going, and never change or stop taking any medications without your doctor’s permission.
Interesting Facts about Parkinson’s Disease
- The average age for being diagnosed with PD is 56, and the youngest is age 12 which is quite unusual.
- In a lifetime, 1 in every 200 individuals will be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
- Approximately 1% of the US population over age 65 has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
- Over 1.5 million Americans suffer from PD.
- Muhammad Ali and Matthew Robinson Jr. (actor and father of Holly Robinson-Peete) are famous African-Americans with PD.
To learn more about Parkinson’s disease, please visit www.pdf.org or www.parkinson.org
