How Does A Person Get Parkinson’s Disease

What Else Do We Know

As scientists try to learn what’s at the root of Parkinson’s, they’re looking far and wide to pick up clues where they can.

They’ve found that people with Parkinson’s tend to have something called Lewy bodies in their brain. These are unusual clumps of a protein called alpha-synuclein. The protein itself is normal, but the clumps are not. And they’re found in parts of the brain that affect sleep and sense of smell, which could explain some symptoms of Parkinson’s not related to movement.

Your gut may also have a part in it, as some of its cells make dopamine, too. Some doctors think that this might be where the earliest signs of Parkinson’s show up, but that idea needs more research.

What Are The Symptoms Of Parkinson’s Disease

The main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are:

• tremor or shaking, often when resting or tired. It usually begins in one arm or hand
• muscle rigidity or stiffness, which can limit movement and may be painful
• slowing of movement, which may lead to periods of freezing and small shuffling steps
• stooped posture and balance problems

The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease vary from person to person as well as over time. Some people also experience:

• loss of unconscious movements, such as blinking and smiling
• difficulties with handwriting
• drop in blood pressure leading to dizziness
• difficulty swallowing
• sweating

Many of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease could be caused by other conditions. For example, stooped posture could be caused by osteoporosis. But if you are worried by your symptoms, it is a good idea to see your doctor.

Who Gets Early Onset Parkinsons Disease

About 10%-20% of those diagnosed with Parkinsons disease are under age 50, and about half of those are diagnosed before age 40. Approximately 60,000 new cases of Parkinsons are diagnosed each year in the United States, meaning somewhere around 6,000 12,000 are young onset patients.

Is it genetic or hereditary?

The cause of Parkinsons disease is not yet known. However, Parkinsons disease has appeared across several generations of some families, which could indicate that certain forms of the disease are hereditary or genetic. Many researchers think that Parkinsons disease may be caused by genetic factors combined with other external factors. The field of genetics is playing an ever greater role in Parkinsons disease research, and scientists are continually working towards determining the cause or causes of PD.

Also Check: Susan Collins Parkinson

Can Dogs Get Parkinsons Disease + What Are The Signs

Parkinsons is an unfortunate part of many peoples lives. On average, 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinsons disease every year. As people get older, they become more susceptible to neurological disease. But did you know that dogs can also suffer with neurological disorders?

Can dogs get Parkinsons disease? Just like humans, dogs can get Parkinsons disease. Whilst canine Parkinsons is similar to the human disease in many ways, there are difference in the ways in which Parkinsons disease affects dogs.

Causes And Risk Factors Of Parkinsons Disease

Most cases of Parkinsons disease are idiopathic, meaning the cause is unclear.

Its widely believed that a person with Parkinsons may have been genetically vulnerable to the disease, and that one or more unknown factors in the environment eventually triggered the disease.

Most of the symptoms of Parkinsons disease come from the loss of neurons in an area of your brain called the substantia nigra.

Normally, the neurons in this part of the brain make the chemical messenger dopamine, which allows communication with another area of the brain, the corpus striatum.

This communication helps produce smooth, purposeful movement. When the neurons in the substantia nigra die, the resulting loss of communication leads to the motor symptoms of Parkinsons.

Although the cause of this cell death is unknown, many researchers believe that the cells are killed by clumped proteins called Lewy bodies.

Read Also: Parkinson Disease Old-age Onset

Other Causes Of Parkinsonism

“Parkinsonism” is the umbrella term used to describe the symptoms of tremors, muscle rigidity and slowness of movement.

Parkinson’s disease is the most common type of parkinsonism, but there are also some rarer types where a specific cause can be identified.

These include parkinsonism caused by:

• medication where symptoms develop after taking certain medications, such as some types of antipsychotic medication, and usually improve once the medication is stopped
• other progressive brain conditions such as progressive supranuclear palsy, multiple systems atrophy and corticobasal degeneration
• cerebrovascular disease where a series of small strokes cause several parts of the brain to die

You can read more about parkinsonism on the Parkinson’s UK website.

Page last reviewed: 30 April 2019 Next review due: 30 April 2022

Parkinsons Disease Is A Progressive Disorder

Parkinsons Disease is a slowly progressive neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects movement and, in some cases, cognition. Individuals with PD may have a slightly shorter life span compared to healthy individuals of the same age group. According to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research, patients usually begin developing Parkinsons symptoms around age 60. Many people with PD live between 10 and 20 years after being diagnosed. However, a patients age and general health status factor into the accuracy of this estimate.

While there is no cure for Parkinsons disease, many patients are only mildly affected and need no treatment for several years after their initial diagnosis. However, PD is both chronic, meaning it persists over a long period of time, and progressive, meaning its symptoms grow worse over time. This progression occurs more quickly in some people than in others.

Pharmaceutical and surgical interventions can help manage some of the symptoms, like bradykinesia , rigidity or tremor , but not much can be done to slow the overall progression of the disease. Over time, shaking, which affects most PD patients, may begin to interfere with daily activities and ones quality of life.

Also Check: Non Tremor Dominant Parkinson’s

Living With Parkinson’s Disease

As Parkinson’s develops, a person who has it may slow down and won’t be able to move or talk quickly. Sometimes, speech therapy and occupational therapy are needed. This may sound silly, but someone who has Parkinson’s disease may need to learn how to fall down safely.

If getting dressed is hard for a person with Parkinson’s, clothing with Velcro and elastic can be easier to use than buttons and zippers. The person also might need to have railings installed around the house to prevent falls.

If you know someone who has Parkinson’s disease, you can help by being a good friend.

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.

Also Check: What Essential Oils Help Parkinson’s

Testing For Parkinsons Disease

There is no lab or imaging test that is recommended or definitive for Parkinsons disease. However, in 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an imaging scan called the DaTscan. This technique allows doctors to see detailed pictures of the brains dopamine system.

A DaTscan involves an injection of a small amount of a radioactive drug and a machine called a single-photon emission computed tomography scanner, similar to an MRI.

The drug binds to dopamine transmitters in the brain, showing where in the brain dopaminergic neurons are.

The results of a DaTscan cant show that you have Parkinsons, but they can help your doctor confirm a diagnosis or rule out a Parkinsons mimic.

How Can I Access The Vaccine

Dr. Okun: In the U.S., the vaccine is being distributed to each of the 50 states, and each state has a different process for distribution. In most states, the vaccine is currently being administered to frontline healthcare workers, and eventually it will be distributed by age and priority levels. We wrote a recent blog article on access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Tips to access the vaccine include:

• Check in with your local health department. Some have a sign-up list so that you can access appointments online or by calling.
• Check in with your primary doctor and let him/her know you want the vaccine.
• Dont wait in line for hours or camp out without social distancing. Ideally, get an appointment.

We are working on getting people with Parkinsons to be listed as a 1b priority, meaning they would get priority in receiving the vaccine. If it were up to me, Id be vaccinating everyone with Parkinsons disease early in the process , and Id do it tomorrow.

Guidance on who will receive the COVID-19 vaccine at each stage of the rollout is determined at the state level. Contact your states health department for details about when you and your loved ones will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Find your states health department.

You May Like: What Are The Four Cardinal Signs Of Parkinson’s Disease

Take Care Of Yourself

Probably one of the most important, and sometimes difficult, things caregivers can do is to take care of themselves. This includes maintaining mental and physical health by making and keeping your own medical and dental appointments. As a caregiver, it is important to keep your job whenever possible as it provides not only financial help and possibly insurance coverage, but also a sense of self-esteem. Join a support group for caregivers if possible. Support groups help you meet people who are going through what you are going though, vent frustrations, give and receive mutual support, and exchange resource information and coping strategies. Whenever possible get your sleep, take breaks, make and keep social activities, and try to keep your sense of humor.

What Is Canine Parkinsons Disease In Dogs

Canine Parkinsons disease is defined as a progressive neurological condition that dramatically affects motor function. In the simplest of terms, the nervous system is deteriorating which is causing issues with the patients movement.

Progressive means that it gets worse and worse as time goes on.

Whilst you might think it is more common for old dogs to get Parkinsons disease, the truth is actually different as I will explain later.

You May Like: Parkinsons Lifespan

What We Learned About Parkinsons Disease And Employment At A Recent Apda Conference

I broadened my knowledge of these issues while attending the APDA Parkinsons Midwest Congress in St. Louis on March 14, a Parkinsons educational symposium organized by the St. Louis Chapter of APDA. One excellent session was entitled: Young Onset Parkinsons Disease Panel of Experts Discussing Disclosure of Diagnosis, Job Accommodations, Assistive Technology, and Disability. The three experts who presented were a social worker with expertise in the PD community, Terri Hosto, an employment lawyer, Janine M. Martin, and an occupational therapist with a focus on helping people with disabilities navigate the workplace, Debbie Turley.

Here are some of the pearls that I learned during the session that you may find helpful. And read on for some personal scenarios based on real patient stories to learn how some people with PD navigate this part of their lives.

Progression Of The Parkinsons Disease

Due to the uniqueness of displaying the symptoms at a different rate, Parkinsons disease acquires the name boutique disease. It changes from one to another and makes it difficult for the physician to detect the signs in the early stages. Alternatively, it is not probable to predict the occurrence, how, or when the symptoms occur. The progression of the symptoms take broad paths, and many of them have similarities associated with other health conditions, making it further critical to point the stage of Parkinsons disease. It becomes frightening to see further definite signs that appear along the path.

Recommended Reading: What Are Early Warning Signs Of Parkinson’s Disease

What Causes Parkinsons Disease Dementia

A chemical messenger in the brain called dopamine helps control and coordinate muscle movement. Over time, Parkinsons disease destroys the nerve cells that make dopamine.

Without this chemical messenger, the nerve cells cant properly relay instructions to the body. This causes a loss of muscle function and coordination. Researchers dont know why these brain cells disappear.

Parkinsons disease also causes dramatic changes in a part of your brain that controls movement.

Those with Parkinsons disease often experience motor symptoms as a preliminary sign of the condition. Tremors are one of the most common first symptoms of Parkinsons disease.

As the disease progresses and spreads in your brain, it can affect the parts of your brain responsible for mental functions, memory, and judgment.

Over time, your brain may not be able to use these areas as efficiently as it once did. As a result, you may begin experiencing symptoms of Parkinsons disease dementia.

You have an increased risk of developing Parkinsons disease dementia if:

• youre a person with a penis
• youre older

Is Parkinsons Disease Fatal

It is important to understand that PD is not considered a fatal condition. As is the case with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia, complications and a patients comorbid conditions are more life-threatening than PD itself. For example, because Parkinsons affects movement, balance and coordination, a patients risk of falling increases as the disease progresses. Falls are notoriously dangerous and a leading cause of injury and death among older adults. Difficulty swallowing, known as dysphagia, is another complication that can develop at any point throughout ones journey with PD, and this can cause aspiration pneumoniaanother leading cause of death in patients.

Read:Dysphagia: How to Help a Loved One Eat and Drink Safely

Because a persons overall health is an important factor in how Parkinsons progresses, lifestyle choices are vitally important for prolonging both functionality and longevity. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, careful management of preexisting conditions and prevention of new medical issues is crucial.

It is important to work with a well-rounded medical team to understand PD symptoms, explore treatment options and devise a personalized care plan for improving ones overall health, maintaining a high quality of life, and preventing complications.

Recommended Reading: How To Use Hemp Oil For Parkinson’s

How Is Parkinsons Disease Diagnosed

Diagnosing Parkinsons disease is sometimes difficult, since early symptoms can mimic other disorders and there are no specific blood or other laboratory tests to diagnose the disease. Imaging tests, such as CT or MRI scans, may be used to rule out other disorders that cause similar symptoms.

To diagnose Parkinsons disease, you will be asked about your medical history and family history of neurologic disorders as well as your current symptoms, medications and possible exposure to toxins. Your doctor will look for signs of tremor and muscle rigidity, watch you walk, check your posture and coordination and look for slowness of movement.

If you think you may have Parkinsons disease, you should probably see a neurologist, preferably a movement disorders-trained neurologist. The treatment decisions made early in the illness can affect the long-term success of the treatment.

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.

Read Also: What Color Is The Ribbon For Parkinson’s

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.

What Are The Symptoms

Symptoms of PD vary from person to person, as does the rate of progression. A person who has Parkinson’s may experience some of these more common “hallmark” symptoms:

• Bradykinesia – slowness of movement, impaired dexterity, decreased blinking, drooling, expressionless face.
• Tremor at rest – involuntary shaking that decreases with purposeful movement. Typically starts on one side of the body, usually the hand.
• Rigidity – stiffness caused by involuntary increase in muscle tone.
• Postural instability – sense of imbalance. Patients often compensate by lowering their center of gravity, which results in a stooped posture.

Other symptoms that may or may not occur:

Freezing or being stuck in place Shuffling gait or dragging of one foot Stooped posture Cognitive impairment

Also Check: Parkinson Disease Inheritance