How Do You Spell Parkinson’s Disease

New Diagnostic Standards For Parkinsons

Until recently, the gold-standard checklist for diagnosis came from the U.K.s Parkinsons Disease Society Brain Bank. It was a checklist that doctors followed to determine if the symptoms they saw fit the disease. But thats now considered outdated. Recently, new criteria from the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society have come into use. This list reflects the most current understanding of the condition. It allows doctors to reach a more accurate diagnosis so patients can begin treatment at earlier stages.

What Can You Do If You Have Pd

• Work with your doctor to create a plan to stay healthy.;This might include the following:
• A referral to a neurologist, a doctor who specializes in the brain
• Care from an occupational therapist, physical therapist or speech therapist
• Meeting with a medical social worker to talk about how Parkinson’s will affect your life

For more information, visit our;Treatment page.

Page reviewed by Dr. Chauncey Spears, Movement Disorders Fellow at the University of Florida, a Parkinsons Foundation Center of Excellence.

Stage Four Of Parkinsons Disease

In stage four, PD has progressed to a severely disabling disease. Patients with stage four PD may be able to walk and stand unassisted, but they are noticeably incapacitated. Many use a walker to help them.

At this stage, the patient is unable to live an independent life and needs assistance with some activities of daily living. The necessity for help with daily living defines this stage. If the patient is still able to live alone, it is still defined as stage three.

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What To Expect With Parkinsons Disease

Parkinsons disease affects everyone differently. Because it is a neurodegenerative disorder symptoms normally develop slowly, over many years. It affects the way you move because of problems with some of the nerve cells in the . These cells make dopamine which sends signals to the parts of your brain that control movement. Dopamine also helps your muscles do what you want them to do. With Parkinsons these nerve cells break down because of lack of dopamine and you will have trouble moving the way you want to move.

Some of the symptoms of Parkinsons are:

• Tremors. One of the earliest signs of , tremors may start on just one side of the body, sometimes a hand or a leg. At some point they may spread to both sides of the body.
• Poor coordination. As Parkinsons progresses you may notice a loss of coordination. Your muscles may become stiff and your movements will slow down. You may have problems with tasks such as brushing your or writing.
• Dizziness. Fainting spells and dizziness can be common with Parkinsons as low blood pressure often accompanies the disorder. Balance problems can occur, as well as an altered gait. Your body may become stiff and feel uncomfortable which can lead to mobility problems.

While there is no cure, Parkinsons is a very treatable disease, especially in its earliest stages. Many of those with the disease live a long, productive life. To read more on what to expect from Parkinsons disease, click .

A Little Bit Of History

A new important breakthrough took place in 1983 when Langston and colleagues reported a group of drug users who developed acute parkinsonism after MPTP exposure . These patients developed an acute syndrome indistinguishable from PD. This is due because the MPTP metabolite, MPP+, destroys the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra after a series of alterations in the mitochondrial matrix and the electron transport chain. The SNc of Parkinson patients was also described as exhibiting a marked decrease in complex I activity . The fact that some PD patients have certain polymorphisms in genes that express subunits of complex I suggests that this could be a vulnerability factor in PD . New models based on MPTP intoxication allowed researchers to ascertain PD hallmarks both in vitro and in vivo . Due to the achievements of pharmacological DA treatments, search of cell-based DA replacement approaches were initiated with largely disappointing results . From the surgical and therapeutic point of view, discrete lesions of the BG improved parkinsonism . A monkey model of PD showed motor signs improvement as a result of the chemical destruction of the subthalamic nucleus , with evidence of reversal of experimental parkinsonism by STN lesions. This same year deep brain stimulation of the STN became effective for PD treatment .

Figure 1. Breakthroughs in Parkinsons disease history.

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Stiffness And Slow Movement

Parkinsons disease mainly affects adults older than 60. You may feel stiff and a little slow to get going in the morning at this stage of your life. This is a completely normal development in many healthy people. The difference with PD is that the stiffness and slowness it causes dont go away as you get up and start your day.

Stiffness of the limbs and slow movement appear early on with PD. These symptoms are caused by the impairment of the neurons that control movement. A person with PD will notice jerkier motions and move in a more uncoordinated pattern than before. Eventually, a person may develop the characteristic shuffling gait.

Who Gets Parkinson’s Disease

About 1 million people in the United States have Parkinson’s disease, and both men and women can get it. Symptoms usually appear when someone is older than 50 and it becomes more common as people get older.

Many people wonder if you’re more likely to get Parkinson’s disease if you have a relative who has it. Although the role that heredity plays isn’t completely understood, we do know that if a close relative like a parent, brother, or sister has Parkinson’s, there is a greater chance of developing the disease. But Parkinson’s disease is not contagious. You can’t get it by simply being around someone who has it.

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Myth : Deep Brain Stimulation Is Experimental Therapy

Fact: Deep brain stimulation, or DBS, is a procedure in which doctors place electrodes in the brain at the point when medications are less effective in masking motor symptoms, such as tremor, stiffness and slowness of movement.

While it may sound frightening and futuristic, its been around and successfully used for decades. DBS works very similarly to a pacemaker, except the wire is in the brain, not in the heart. Its been a standard procedure for the past two decades.

Stooping Or Hunching Over

Are you not standing up as straight as you used to? If you or your family or friends notice that you seem to be stooping, leaning or slouching when you stand, it could be a sign of Parkinson’s disease .

What is normal?If you have pain from an injury or if you are sick, it might cause you to stand crookedly. Also, a problem with your bones can make you hunch over.

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Falls And Parkinson’s Disease

A loss of balance often resulting in falling affects many with Parkinsons. This is due in part to general motor dysfunction caused by the disorder. Falling can depend on each persons symptoms and how they respond to medication. This should be monitored for any pattern noted at the time of these changes or fluctuations.5 Syncope is one of the most commonly overlooked causes of dizziness in people with Parkinsons.2

Give Yourself Time To Adjust

Over time, youll likely become an expert in Parkinsons disease but right now, youre a newbie. Give yourself time for the diagnosis and all it might mean to sink in. Then, get educated: Ask your doctor for information you can take home and read, find other people with Parkinsons in your community or online to talk to, and browse sites like the National Parkinson Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research.

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Is Parkinsons Disease Inherited

Scientists have discovered gene mutations that are associated with Parkinsons disease.

There is some belief that some cases of early-onset Parkinsons disease disease starting before age 50 may be inherited. Scientists identified a gene mutation in people with Parkinsons disease whose brains contain Lewy bodies, which are clumps of the protein alpha-synuclein. Scientists are trying to understand the function of this protein and its relationship to genetic mutations that are sometimes seen in Parkinsons disease and in people with a type of dementia called Lewy body dementia.

Several other gene mutations have been found to play a role in Parkinsons disease. Mutations in these genes cause abnormal cell functioning, which affects the nerve cells ability to release dopamine and causes nerve cell death. Researchers are still trying to discover what causes these genes to mutate in order to understand how gene mutations influence the development of Parkinsons disease.

Scientists think that about 10% to 15% of persons with Parkinsons disease may have a genetic mutation that predisposes them to development of the disease. There are also environmental factors involved that are not fully understood.

Stage Five Of Parkinsons Disease

Stage five is the most advanced and is characterized by an inability to rise from a chair or get out of bed without help, they may have a tendency to fall when standing or turning, and they may freeze or stumble when walking.

Around-the-clock assistance is required at this stage to reduce the risk of falling and help the patient with all daily activities. At stage five, the patient may also experience hallucinations or delusions.

While the symptoms worsen over time, it is worth noting that some patients with PD never reach stage five. Also, the length of time to progress through the different stages varies from individual to individual. Not all the symptoms may occur in one individual either. For example, one person may have a tremor but balance remains intact. In addition, there are treatments available that can help at every stage of the disease. However, the earlier the diagnosis, and the earlier the stage at which the disease is diagnosed, the more effective the treatment is at alleviating symptoms.

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The 5 Stages Of Parkinsons Disease

Getting older is underrated by most. Its a joyful experience to sit back, relax and watch the people in your life grow up, have kids of their own and flourish. Age can be a beautiful thing, even as our bodies begin to slow down. We spoke with David Shprecher, DO, movement disorders director at Banner Sun Health Research Institute;about a well-known illness which afflicts as many as 2% of people older than 65, Parkinsons Disease.

How Does Parkinson’s Affect The Body

The telltale symptoms all have to do with the way you move. You usually notice problems like:

Rigid muscles. It can happen on just about any part of your body. Doctors sometimes mistake early Parkinson’s for arthritis.

Slow movements. You may find that even simple acts, like buttoning a shirt, take much longer than usual.

Tremors. Your hands, arms, legs, lips, jaw, or tongue are shaky when you’re not using them.

Walking and balance problems. You may notice your arms aren’t swinging as freely when you walk. Or you can’t take long steps, so you have to shuffle instead.

Parkinson’s can also cause a range of other issues, from depression to bladder problems to acting out dreams. It may be a while before abnormal movements start.

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Advances In Parkinsons Disease: 200 Years Later

• 1HM CINAC, Hospital Universitario HM Puerta del Sur, Madrid, Spain
• 2Biomedical Research Networking Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases , Madrid, Spain
• 3Department of Neuroscience, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada , University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
• 4Pharmaceutical Technology and Chemistry, School of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
• 5Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra , Pamplona, Spain
• 6Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Vall dHebron Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
• 7Laboratory of Parkinson Disease and other Neurodegenerative Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Institut dInvestigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer , University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
• 8Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Activities Of Daily Living

There are many things a person does every day without even thinking about it such as bathing, brushing teeth, walking, turning in bed, signing checks, cutting food. When a person is diagnosed with Parkinson’s, it can eventually make all of these things more difficult. The following tips are meant to be helpful and raise awareness of adjusting to some of the difficulties with PD.

Falling

• Remove throw rugs and low-lying obstacles from pathways inside and outside your home.
• Use a cane when necessary.
• Avoid using stepladders or stools to reach high objects.
• Stop walking or sit down if you feel dizzy.
• Install handrails, especially along stairways.
• Slow down when you feel yourself in a hurry.
• Before rising from your bed or bath, pause for a moment in a sitting position.

Sensory complaints

• Stretch every day, especially before exercising.
• Exercise daily to build stamina.
• Warm baths and regular massage will help relax tired muscles.
• When your hands or feet get cold, wear gloves or warm socks.
• Don’t overdo physical activities; know your limits and stay within them.

Turning in bed

Sleep problems

Dressing

Hygiene

Walking

Swallowing

Freezing

Tremor

• Perform difficult tasks when you feel well and when your medication is working effectively.
• Relax. Sit down from time to time, relax your arms and shoulders, and take deep breaths.
• Get a regular massage.
• Ask your physical therapist or doctor to recommend a stretching and exercise program.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
• Get plenty of rest.

Speech

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Speak Out About What You’re Experiencing

• Im a caregiver

If any or all of the statements below apply to you, tell your Parkinson’s specialist at your next appointment. To read additional questions, a full discussion guide.

• People tell me what I am hearing, seeing, or sensing are not actually there .
• I have beliefs or fears that a loved one is stealing from me or being unfaithful .

If any or all of the statements below apply to you, tell your Parkinson’s specialist at your next appointment. To read additional questions, a full discussion guide.

• I have noticed my loved one interacting with things, seeing things, or sensing things that are not there .
• My loved one has had false beliefs toward me or others, such as believing someone is stealing from them or being unfaithful .
• These experiences have affected our daily lives and/or our relationships.

Symptoms Of Parkinson’s Disease

The symptoms and rate of progression of Parkinsons are different among individuals. Effects of normal aging are sometimes confused for Parkinsons. It is difficult to accurately diagnose this disease because there is not a test that can accurately do it.

There are physical and non-physical symptoms that could indicate someone has Parkinsons disease:

Physical symptoms

• Weight loss

Early stage symptoms

Parkinson’s disease occurs gradually. At first, the symptoms might not even be noticeable. Early symptoms can include feeling mild tremors or having difficulty getting out of bed or a chair. The person might start to notice that they are speaking softer than usual, or that their handwriting looks different.

Usually, it is friends or family members who are the first to notice changes in someone with early Parkinson’s. For example, they may notice that the person’s face lacks expression and animation, or that the person does not move an arm or leg normally.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Parkinsons Disease

Symptoms of Parkinsons disease and the rate of decline vary widely from person to person. The most common symptoms include:

Other symptoms include:

• Speech/vocal changes: Speech may be quick, become slurred or be soft in tone. You may hesitate before speaking. The pitch of your voice may become unchanged .
• Handwriting changes: You handwriting may become smaller and more difficult to read.
• Depression and anxiety.
• Sleeping disturbances including disrupted sleep, acting out your dreams, and restless leg syndrome.
• Pain, lack of interest , fatigue, change in weight, vision changes.
• Low blood pressure.

How Do I Know If I Am A Candidate For Deep Brain Stimulation

Deep brain stimulation works for people with PD who have responded to levodopa but now have developed dyskinesias or other off symptoms like a return of tremors, rigidity and slowness of movement. DBS doesn’t seem to help people with atypical Parkinson’s syndromes that also don’t seem to improve with Parkinson’s meds.

There are many important issues to be addressed when considering DBS to treat Parkinson’s disease. These issues should be discussed with a movement disorders expert or a specially trained neurologist. A movement disorders expert is someone who has trained specifically in movement disorders.

One of the most important criteria is that you try drug treatment first. Surgery is not recommended if medications can adequately control the disease. However, surgery should be considered if you do not achieve satisfactory control with medications. Talk to your doctor to see if deep brain stimulation is right for you.

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Stage Two Of Parkinsons Disease

Stage two is still considered early disease in PD, and it is characterized by symptoms on both sides of the body or at the midline without impairment to balance. Stage two may develop months or years after stage one.

Symptoms of PD in stage two may include the loss of facial expression on both sides of the face, decreased blinking, speech abnormalities, soft voice, monotone voice, fading volume after starting to speak loudly, slurring speech, stiffness or rigidity of the muscles in the trunk that may result in neck or back pain, stooped posture, and general slowness in all activities of daily living. However, at this stage the individual is still able to perform tasks of daily living.

Diagnosis may be easy at this stage if the patient has a tremor; however, if stage one was missed and the only symptoms of stage two are slowness or lack of spontaneous movement, PD could be misinterpreted as only advancing age.