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Alzheimer’s Disease And Parkinson’s Disease

What Is Parkinsons Disease

Alzheimers Disease FTD and Parkinsons Disease

Parkinsons disease was described by James Parkinson nearly 100 years before Dr. Alois Alzheimer described the dementia later named Alzheimers disease . Called the shaking palsy by Parkinson, PD is diagnosed when a person shows at least two of these three symptoms: slowed movements , muscle rigidity, and tremor . We recognize many other associated signs of PD, including expressionless face, quiet speech, cramped handwriting, shuffling gait, trouble getting out of a chair, and difficulty swallowing. Many of the symptoms of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease result when certain nerve cells that produce dopamine in the brain begin to malfunction and die.

Most cases are called idiopathic, meaning the cause remains unknown, although a small number of cases are linked with poisoning , head trauma, more complex PD-like neurological disorders , or reversible toxic medication effects ,

Signs And Symptoms Of Pdd

Common signs and symptoms of Parkinsons disease dementia include:

  • Poor memory and concentration
  • Depression
  • Visual hallucinations

If youve noticed some of the above signs and symptoms in yourself or a loved one, its important to get them checked out. But dont jump to conclusions. People with Parkinsons often experience cognitive changes such as anxiety, lack of motivation, and slowed thinking. These symptoms do not automatically mean dementia.

Symptoms Of Parkinsons Disease

Parkinsons has four main symptoms:

  • Tremor in hands, arms, legs, jaw, or head
  • Muscle stiffness, where muscle remains contracted for a long time
  • Slowness of movement
  • Impaired balance and coordination, sometimes leading to falls

Other symptoms may include:

The symptoms of Parkinsons and the rate of progression differ among individuals. Early symptoms of this disease are subtle and occur gradually. For example, people may feel mild tremors or have difficulty getting out of a chair. They may notice that they speak too softly, or that their handwriting is slow and looks cramped or small. Friends or family members may be the first to notice changes in someone with early Parkinsons. They may see that the persons face lacks expression and animation, or that the person does not move an arm or leg normally.

People with Parkinson’s disease often develop a parkinsonian gait that includes a tendency to lean forward take small, quick steps and reduce swinging their arms. They also may have trouble initiating or continuing movement.

Symptoms often begin on one side of the body or even in one limb on one side of the body. As the disease progresses, it eventually affects both sides. However, the symptoms may still be more severe on one side than on the other.

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How Can We Manage Hallucinations

It may not be necessary to treat all hallucinations of a person with PDD. Hallucinations are often harmless, and it is okay to allow them to happen, as long as they are not disruptive or upsetting to the person or surroundings. Sometimes, recognizing the hallucination and then switching the topic might be an efficient way of handling frustrations that occur because of a hallucination. If hallucinations need medical treatment, your provider may be able to discuss and suggest some options. However, many of the medications used to treat hallucinations may make movement symptoms worse.

Parkinsons Disease Signs And Symptoms

Alzheimer

The following are the primary symptoms of Parkinsons disease:

Hands, fingers, forearms, feet, mouth, and chin tremors or shaking. The tremor usually appears when your limbs are at rest rather than when they are moving. Some people notice that stress and excitement aggravate their tremors.

Sluggish movement . It is possible that your capacity to move freely and spontaneously has been hampered or impeded. Repetitive movements can be particularly challenging, causing difficulties with common chores such as buttoning a shirt, brushing your teeth, and cutting food. Your feet may begin to drag or you may begin to walk with small, shuffling movements.

Rigidity, often known as muscle stiffness, can affect any region of your body . This might restrict your range of motion and result in muscle pain that worsens as you move.

One of the most common symptoms of Parkinsons disease is poor balance, or the tendency to feel unsteady when standing erect. It occurs as a result of the lack of reflexes required to maintain posture. When standing or turning, some persons develop a tendency to sway backward, which can lead to reverse falls.

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What Other Things Help

There are various ways to help a person with PDD. Speech therapy may help improve communication between people with PDD and others. Physical therapy may help strengthen and stretch stiff muscles and help to prevent falls.

Research has shown that physical exercise helps to enhance brain health and improves mood and general fitness. A balanced diet, enough sleep and limited alcohol intake are other important ways to promote good brain health. Other illnesses that affect the brain, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, should also be treated if present.

Changes In Prl Levels In The Different Types Of Pd

Fenfluramine, is a serotonin releasing agent, has long been investigated as a possible serotonergic treatment option in PD . In a case-control study, PRL responses to fenfluramine were significantly less in PD patients than in normal controls and were significantly more blunted in PD patients with major depression than in nondepressed patients . Murri et al. assessed night-time plasma PRL levels in 8 PD patients, 6 Huntingtons chorea patients, and 6 age-matched normal controls. Plasma PRL levels in PD patients were significantly lower than in controls but PRL secretory patterns were similar in HC patients and controls. Reduced PRL secretion in PD might be due to serotonin deficiency in hypothalamus, which suggests serotonin induces PRL release by stimulating the secretion of PRL-releasing factors.

Bellomo et al. noticed plasma PRL levels were higher in idiopathic PD patients than in normal controls and that PRL nocturnal peak concentrations were markedly higher in IDP patients. However, the plasma levels of growth hormone, cortisol, and adrenocorticotropic hormone were lower in patients than in controls. Lawton et al. also showed that in IDP patients, levodopa with carbidopa-suppressed TRH-induced PRL release less effectively than in age-matched normal controls. These results suggest that the presence of hypothalamic disturbances in IDP patients can influence pituitary function, and extend the biochemical defects in IDP from basal ganglia to the hypothalamus.

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Pdd: A Type Of Dementia Caused By Parkinsons Disease

Parkinsons disease dementia is a brain illness that affects some persons with Parkinsons disease, but not all. The diseases destruction of brain cells can result in memory loss as well as other cognitive abilities like problem-solving and thinking speed. These mental and behavioral shifts might have an impact on your daily life, independence, and relationships.

There is at least a yearand generally 10 to 15 yearsbetween the Parkinsons diagnosis and the start of dementia in people who do get dementia due to Parkinsons disease. The Alzheimers Association believes that 50 percent or more of persons with Parkinsons disease may acquire dementia at some point, while there are a number of risk factors that influence the likelihood of acquiring symptoms:

Patients with Parkinsons disease who have hallucinations, excessive daytime sleepiness, or significant motor control deficits are more likely to develop dementia.

Dementia is more likely in persons who are older when they first develop Parkinsons disease.

Data Extraction And Literature Quality Evaluation

Dealing with Dementia in Parkinson’s Disease

The authors N.-N. Hou and X. Zuo completed literature retrieval and selection independently. When there was a disagreement, L. Cui and H.-M. Wu participated to reach a consensus. Extracted from the studies were author name, publication year, gender, age range, study design, response rate, diagnostic criteria, case number, study location, urban/rural, education, and sample size. All eligible studies were systematically evaluated for quality based on their sample size, study design, response rate and diagnostic assessment. The detailed scoring criteria were performed as previously described by Prince et al. .

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Systematic Review And Record Identification

Our initial search identified a total of 5,528 citations from PubMed, WanFang, VIP, and CNKI databases. After elimination of duplicates and records of irrelevancy or insufficient information, 364 records remained. After further full-text review, 265 records were excluded based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria . Thus, a total of 99 records were eligible for data extraction, including 75 records for AD and 24 for PD . The information of the included studies was described in Supplementary Tables 1, 2, including location, gender, setting, education, phase design, response rate, diagnostic assessment, diagnosis criteria, age, sample size, and quality score.

Figure 1. Flow diagram of study identification. AD, Alzheimer’s disease. PD, Parkinson’s disease Reason 1, not population-based Reason 2, not based in China Reason 3, no numerical prevalence measurement Reason 4, conducted in an unrepresentative population, such as hospital-based, in elderly social welfare, etc. Reason 5, overlapped data in different studies Reason 6, unclear diagnosis.

Relations Between Prl Receptor And Prl And Immune Response

The long , intermediate , and short isoforms of PRLR have been most studied. PRLR belongs to the class-1 cytokine receptor superfamily, which also includes receptors for granulocyte and monocyte colony-stimulating factor, leptin, erythropoietin, interleukin-2 , IL-6, and others . PRLR is displayed on all leukocytes of the immune system and in those of thymus and spleen . In brain, PRL has been reported in hypothalamus, hippocampus, and cortex, and astrocytes and glial cells . Types of PRLR isoforms expressed depend on tissue type and the molecular milieu, for example, on cytokine and hormone levels. Changes in isoform PRLR ratios control inflammatory response and autoimmunity . Functions of PRL are mediated by its interaction with PRLR. PRL/PRLR binding can activate the JAK2 and STAT5 signaling pathways . PRL also stimulates the syntheses of TNF-, IFN-, IL-1, and IL-12p40 in macrophages by activating the JAK2-STAT1 pathway .

Table 1.

Effects of PRL in the CNS

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Early Signs And Symptoms Are Different

Parkinsons disease generally begins as a movement disorder. Early signs and symptoms include:2

  • Tremor, which often begins in the hand or fingers
  • Slowed movement, which may include foot dragging
  • Rigidity
  • Slowed automatic movements such as blinking, smiling, and swinging your arms when you walk

Alzheimers disease generally begins as noticeable memory loss. Early signs and symptoms include:3,4

  • Trouble remembering familiar words
  • Challenges performing everyday tasks such as balancing a checkbook

How Can We Support The Sleep/wake Cycle Of Pdd

Journal of Alzheimer

For people with PDD who are confused about the day-night cycle, some daily strategies can be helpful. At night, starting a lights out routine that happens at the same hour every day, where all curtains are closed and lights are turned off, can help the person understand that it is sleep time. During the day, opening the curtains, allowing the person with PDD to spend as much time in the daylight as possible, avoiding naps, and organizing stimulating activities, can be helpful. Having lots of calendars and clocks in every room might also help a person with PDD be less confused about the time of day.

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What Are The Complications Of Parkinson Disease

Parkinson disease causes physical symptoms at first. Problems with cognitive function, including forgetfulness and trouble with concentration, may arise later. As the disease gets worse with time, many people develop dementia. This can cause profound memory loss and makes it hard to maintain relationships.

Parkinson disease dementia can cause problems with:

  • Speaking and communicating with others
  • Problem solving
  • Forgetfulness
  • Paying attention

If you have Parkinson disease and dementia, in time, you likely won’t be able to live by yourself. Dementia affects your ability to care of yourself, even if you can still physically do daily tasks.

Experts don’t understand how or why dementia often occurs with Parkinson disease. Its clear, though, that dementia and problems with cognitive function are linked to changes in the brain that cause problems with movement. As with Parkinson disease, dementia occurs when nerve cells degenerate, leading to chemical changes in the brain. Parkinson disease dementia may be treated with medicines also used to treat Alzheimer’s disease, another type of dementia.

Parkinsons Dementia Vs Alzheimers Dementia

According to experts, Parkinsons dementia can cause impaired physical activity and impacts motor skills. Two neurotransmitters called dopamine and serotonin tend to be damaged by Parkinsons.

In addition to causing issues with movement and coordination, this form of dementia can also cause a slower thought process and memory problems. This is usually less pronounced however, until the later stages of the disease.

With Alzheimers, two types of proteins in the brain, tangles and plaques , accumulate and kill brain cells. This Alzheimers-induced dementia affects memory, clear thinking, language skills, and orientation. It reduces comprehension, learning capacity, and judgement. Storing new information and memory retrieval are impacted more than motor skills.

Distinguishing between these neurodegenerative conditions is important to determine the best treatment approach. Medications for one of condition might create problems when given to a patient with the other condition.

Wondering how to support a loved ones goal of being able to age at home? Were here to help. Whether its for one month or ten years, our caregivers can help your loved one live the life they want at home. Call a Care Advisor today at or and learn more about how we can support your needs.

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Tip : Whatand Howyou Eat Can Make A Difference

Theres no specific Parkinsons disease diet, but by adjusting your eating habits, you can help protect your brain. Diets that are good for your heart tend to also be good for brain health. Eating habits such as those promoted in the Mediterranean diet can help reduce inflammation, protect neurons, and promote better communication between brain cells.

Primarily, its important to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, cut down on sugary foods and refined carbs, reduce fried and processed foods, and boost your intake of healthy fats and home-cooked meals. High protein meals may also help to benefit your brain chemistry.

What Are The Symptoms Of Parkinson Disease

Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s Disease – Medical-Surgical – Nervous System -@Level Up RN

Parkinson disease symptoms usually start out mild, and then progressively get much worse. The first signs are often so subtle that many people don’t seek medical attention at first. These are common symptoms of Parkinson disease:

  • Tremors that affect the face and jaw, legs, arms, and hands
  • Slow, stiff walking

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Parkinsons Disease Secondary Symptoms

There are several secondary motor symptoms linked with Parkinsons disease, in addition to the primary symptoms. Again, not everyone with Parkinsons will have all of these symptoms or even any of them.

  • When walking, you may experience a brief period of paralysis, which usually occurs when you take your first step.
  • Handwriting that is small and cramped, and that grows worse the more you write.
  • A face with fewer expressions. People may think you are serious or insane. You might be staring blankly or blinking less frequently.
  • Speech may become slurred, slowed, or whispered.
  • Constipation.
  • Loss of olfactory perception.
  • Drooling and excessive saliva are symptoms of difficulty eating or swallowing.
  • Sleep issues include waking up frequently during the night or falling asleep unexpectedly during the day.

Parkinsons Disease: Causes Symptoms And Treatments

Parkinsons disease is a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination.

Symptoms usually begin gradually and worsen over time. As the disease progresses, people may have difficulty walking and talking. They may also have mental and behavioral changes, sleep problems, depression, memory difficulties, and fatigue.

While virtually anyone could be at risk for developing Parkinsons, some research studies suggest this disease affects more men than women. Its unclear why, but studies are underway to understand factors that may increase a persons risk. One clear risk is age: Although most people with Parkinsons first develop the disease after age 60, about 5% to 10% experience onset before the age of 50. Early-onset forms of Parkinsons are often, but not always, inherited, and some forms have been linked to specific gene mutations.

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Changes In Cognition And Parkinsons Disease

Some people with Parkinsons may experience changes in their cognitive function, including problems with memory, attention, and the ability to plan and accomplish tasks. Stress, depression, and some medications may also contribute to these changes in cognition.

Over time, as the disease progresses, some people may develop dementia and be diagnosed with Parkinsons dementia, a type of Lewy body dementia. People with Parkinsons dementia may have severe memory and thinking problems that affect daily living.

Talk with your doctor if you or a loved one is diagnosed with Parkinsons disease and is experiencing problems with thinking or memory.

Coping With Dietary Problems

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Many people with Parkinsons experience various eating and dietary problems, such as constipation, chewing and swallowing difficulties, and upset stomach. The following tips can help you minimize the symptoms.

If you suffer from constipation Drink lots of water and eat fiber-rich foods, including beans, brown rice, whole grains, and fruit.

If you have trouble chewing or swallowing food Cut foods into smaller portions to avoid choking and to encourage digestion, and remain upright for 30 minutes after eating.

If youre struggling with fatigueLimit the amount of sugar youre eating. Also avoid alcohol and caffeine, especially before bed, as they can reduce the quality of your sleep.

If you take levodopa Dont eat meat or other protein-rich foods for at least 30-60 minutes after taking levodopa, as protein blocks your bodys ability to absorb the medication.

If your medication gives you an upset stomach Take your medication with a full glass of water and a small non-protein based snack, such as a piece of toast or fruit.

Some Parkinsons disease medications need to be taken promptly at specified times before or after eating, so it can also help to establish a regular routine for meal and medication times.

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