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What Is The Difference Between Ms And Parkinson’s Disease

Incidence And Prevalence: Als Compared With Parkinsons

Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease | HydroWorx Case History

All neurodegenerative diseases are conditions where there is an impact on the brain and/or the central nervous system.

According to statistics, ALS currently affects around 30,000 people in the USA, with around 6,000 new cases being identified each year.

Parkinsons Disease affects around a million people in America and there are about 60,000 new cases annually.

Famous individuals affected by Parkinsons include Michael J Fox and Scottish comedian Billy Connelly. In terms of ALS, the late Professor Stephen Hawking was one prominent public figure who had been diagnosed with a form of ALS. The late legendary US baseball player Lou Gehrig was also diagnosed with ALS and subsequently the condition has been commonly referred to as Lou Gehrigs disease ever since.

Parkinsons is perhaps a much more well known condition, due to its increased prevalence throughout the world, however ALS has received a lot more attention and awareness since the Ice Bucket Challenge which went viral on social media during the summer of 2014.

Do Ms And Als Have The Same Risk Factors

Age is risk factor for both ALS and MS, but ALS usually is diagnosed in older individuals , with an average age of onset of 55. While MS is diagnosed in a younger population .

ALS is more common in men by about 20%, while MS is about 2 to 3 times more likely to develop in women.Heredity plays a significant role in some individuals that develop ALS . MS is not considered to be a hereditary disease, but new data may modify this conclusion.

In addition, being a member of the military raises the risk of developing ALS. However, military service is not considered a risk factor for MS.

If you have an identical twin with MS, there is a 30% chance for you to develop MS.

Signs It Might Be Multiple System Atrophy Instead Of Parkinsons Disease

Here are some clues as to whether it is multiple system atrophy or Parkinsons disease. One of the easier distinctions is between PD and MSA-C .If the patient presents with unsteadiness while walking, uncoordinated arms and legs, bladder disturbance and/or dizziness when standing the diagnosis is more likely to be MSA-C. On the other hand, if a person looks Parkinsonian the distinction can be harder, but there are clues:

  • In the earlier stages of MSA-P , which is often when people have just been told they have Parkinsons disease, some patients will fall often.Frequent falls also occur in Parkinsons disease, but it typically occurs 10-15 years after diagnosis.
  • In patients with MSA the classic Parkinsons drug L-Dopa may work initially but will stop working very quickly.It can continue working in PD patients for many years.
  • Dementia is not associated with MSA however, it does occur in patients with lewy body Parkinsons disease.
  • Early autonomic nervous system symptoms such as low blood pressure when standing and issues with the bladder are often signs of possible MSA in patients diagnosed with Parkinsons.
  • Vocal cord issues are less common but very typical in MSA and much less common in PD.Some examples include difficulty getting words out, odd sighs and even falling asleep during a conversation.

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Signs It Could Be More Than Parkinsons Disease

Feb 9, 2020 | MSA-Blog |

Close to one million people in the US have a diagnosis of Parkinsons disease .Unfortunately, for a small percentage of these people the diagnosis just doesnt seem right. They feel like something more is wrong.Their medicines may not be very effective. They might have severe dizziness and even be prone to fainting.They just sense the disease is progressing faster than expected.

Multiple Sclerosis And Parkinson’s Tissue Bank

Difference Between Parkinson

Providing high quality human tissue for vital research

The Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinsons Tissue Bank is a national collection of central nervous system tissue samples donated by individuals with multiple sclerosis , Parkinsons disease and related neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative conditions.

The vision of the Tissue Bank is one that it shares with its funding charities, the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Parkinsons UK – that we can live in a world where the cause of these debilitating neurological conditions has been discovered, and an intervention identified that stops them from developing in susceptible individuals or stops further progression of the condition.

The Tissue Banks mission is to facilitate these discoveries by making well-characterised human material of the highest quality readily available to the research community engaged in studies aimed at discovering the cause and better treatments for multiple sclerosis and Parkinsons disease. Furthermore, we aim to encourage the greater use of the material in these studies. It is by carrying out this work that the Tissue Bank fulfils the last, generous and selfless wishes of all those who have registered on the donor scheme and bequeathed their CNS tissues to research.

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Knowing That It Is Msa And Not Parkinsons Is Important

Over the years MSA Coalition Board Members have heard the frustration about a slow diagnosis after the initial diagnosis of Parkinsons.While MSA is fatal, knowing the correct diagnosis, is still important.

Multiple system atrophy affects multiple systems in the body.As a result, while there are not MSA specific treatments, treating the various symptoms from sleep disorders, urinary and bowel issues, blood pressure control, etc. can vastly improve quality of life. The earlier an MSA patient is diagnosed, the earlier doctors can establish a plan of action to improve symptoms that can be very disabling. Another factor is that Parkinsons medications typically stop working in MSA patients.

An early diagnosis also allows patients and their families to spend quality time together while they are still able.It also provides time to prepare for end-of-life issues, such as preparing wills and living wills.

Understanding The Differences Between Parkinsons And Lou Gehrigs Disease

By Angie Kunnath 7 pm on June 5, 2015

As Parkinsons disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis are both progressive neurodegenerative diseases, many people confuse the terms. Below, senior care experts at Home Care Assistance of Mississauga provide information on the basic differences between Parkinsons and ALS to help you better understand the two diseases.

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What Is Huntingtons Disease

Huntington disease usually appears in a persons thirties or forties. Early signs and symptoms can include depression, irritability, poor coordination, small involuntary movements, and trouble learning new information or making decisions. Many people with Huntington disease develop involuntary, repetitive jerking movements known as chorea. As the disease, progresses symptoms become more pronounced. People with this disorder also experience changes in personality and decrease in thinking abilities. Affected individuals usually live about 15 to 20 years after signs and symptoms begin.

There is no care for this disorder, and it is largely determined genetically due to mutations in the HTT gene. The juvenile form of this disorder also exists. Chorea can be controlled with medicines. However, other higher function abnormalities are difficult to control.

Coronal section from an MR brain scan of a patient with HD.

Summary Ms Vs Parkinsons

MS, Parkinsons, Essential Tremor & Other Neurological Disorders Affected by Diet

Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune, T-cell mediated inflammatory disease affecting the Central Nervous System. Parkinsons disease is a movement disorder characterized by a decline in the dopamine level of the brain. Multiple sclerosis, as stated in its definition, is an autoimmune disease but Parkinsons disease is not an autoimmune disease. This is the major difference between MS and Parkinsons.

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What Doctors Look For When Diagnosing Parkinsons

Certain physical signs and symptoms noticed by the patient or his or her loved ones are usually what prompt a person to see the doctor. These are the symptoms most often noticed by patients or their families:

  • Shaking or tremor: Called resting tremor, a trembling of a hand or foot that happens when the patient is at rest and typically stops when he or she is active or moving

  • Bradykinesia: Slowness of movement in the limbs, face, walking or overall body

  • Rigidity: Stiffness in the arms, legs or trunk

  • Posture instability: Trouble with balance and possible falls

Once the patient is at the doctors office, the physician:

  • Takes a medical history and does a physical examination.

  • Asks about current and past medications. Some medications may cause symptoms that mimic Parkinsons disease.

  • Performs a neurological examination, testing agility, muscle tone, gait and balance.

Onset Of Als And Parkinsons

There are several different variants of ALS but it generally affects people between the age of 40 and 70. Juvenile onset ALS, however, can start in childhood or typically before the age of 25, although this form of ALS is particularly rare. The onset of ALS is estimated to be 20% more common in men compared with women and in 10% of cases there is likely to be a genetic component.

Parkinsons disease is usually diagnosed in people over the age of 60, though a small percentage exhibit the symptoms before the age of 50.

Once again, men are more likely to develop Parkinsons than women.

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Common Misdiagnosis: Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy occurs when the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord are damaged. Muscle contractions are a common physical symptom. In contrast, PD has a variety of physical, mental, and emotional symptoms.

My husband started tremors 14 years ago but was only diagnosed last year. The doctor had previously said it was peripheral neuropathy.

My old neurologist for 11 years said peripheral neuropathy! VA then said 50/50 Parkinsons and sent me to the CU Movement Disorder Center. My new neurologist watched me walk along with other tests and said Parkinsons.

Causes Of Parkinson’s Disease

What Is The Difference Between Essential Tremor And ...

Parkinson’s disease is caused by a loss of nerve cells in part of the brain called the substantia nigra. This leads to a reduction in a chemical called dopamine in the brain.

Dopamine plays a vital role in regulating the movement of the body. A reduction in dopamine is responsible for many of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

Exactly what causes the loss of nerve cells is unclear. Most experts think that a combination of genetic and environmental factors is responsible.

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Parkinsons Disease Vs Als: Risk Factors And Complications

Risk factors for Parkinsons disease include being over the age of 50, being male, having a family history of Parkinsons disease, carrying gene variations, experiencing a head injury, being exposed to environmental toxins, and taking certain medications such as anti-anxiety medications or sleeping pills.

Complications associated with Parkinsons disease include difficulty thinking, depression, emotional changes, swallowing problems, sleep problems and disorders, bladder issues, constipation, changes in blood pressure, smell dysfunction, fatigue, pain, and sexual dysfunction.

Studies into ALS have revealed some interesting insight. For example, it may just be that some people with this disease are triggered by certain environmental factors. The environmental triggers under investigation include smoking, lead exposure, and military service. Recent research has indicated that people who have served in the military are at a higher risk of getting ALS.

Studies are also looking at the entire human genome, since research has uncovered a number of genetic variations that people with familial ALS and some with non-inherited ALS have in common. These variations might make people more prone to ALS.

Difference Between Parkinsons Disease And Als Signs And Symptoms

Parkinsons disease typically begins with tremors, followed by muscle stiffness, difficulty standing or walking, changes in speech, slow movements, impaired posture and balance, loss of automatic movements, and writing changes.

Signs and symptoms of ALS include slurred speech, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, emotional liability , loss of tongue muscle contour, excess saliva, difficulty breathing, limp muscles or flaccid weakness, muscle wasting, and twitching.

In the early stages of the disease, ALS patients may notice that performing regular everyday tasks has become more challenging. For example, they may experience difficulty climbing steps or getting up from a chair. Symptoms may first begin on one side of the body, but as the condition progresses, they spread to both sides.

As you can see, ALS and Parkinsons disease share symptoms associated with the negative impact of both conditions on movement and muscle function.

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Multiple Sclerosis Vs Parkinsons Disease Differences In Symptoms Causes And Treatment

Written byDr. Victor MarchionePublished onJune 10, 2016

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune condition that affects the nervous system, while Parkinsons disease is a progressive neurological disorder affecting movement. Symptoms of multiple sclerosis and Parkinsons disease are quite similar at times, but there are distinct differences setting the two conditions apart.

Causes of multiple sclerosis and Parkinsons disease are not well known, although there is some speculation to their roots. We will outline those speculated causes and highlight the symptoms, risk factors, complications, treatment, and therapies for both multiple sclerosis and Parkinsons disease to raise your awareness on each disorder.

Gait In People With Ms

What You Need to Know about Parkinson’s Disease

Long double-support time, slow gait speed, and short swing time were significantly different daily life gait measures in MS from MS-Ctl. Indeed, gait speed double-support time and swing time as a percent of the gait cycle all discriminated gait in people with MS from gait in healthy control people over a week of daily life with a similar, excellent area under the curve . In contrast, in the laboratory, the toe-off angle was the only laboratory gait measure that discriminated our mild-moderate MS from MS-Ctl group during comfortable-pace gait after Bonferronis correction for 13 gait characteristics. This result is consistent with our previous report of a small toe-off angle in a separate group of people with MS during a 2-min walk in the laboratory . The toe-off angle is a surrogate for the push-off phase of gait produced by the power in the gastrocnemius-soleus complex, responsible for stride length and gait speed.

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Comparing Parkinsons Disease And Als Causes

When certain nerve cells in the brain begin to die or break down that is what causes Parkinsons disease, but why this occurs is unclear. Some factors that contribute to nerve cell death include genetics as specific gene mutations have been identified to contribute to Parkinsons disease, environmental factors such as exposure to certain toxins, the presence of Lewy bodies in the brain, as well as alpha-synuclein found in Lewy bodies.

There are many unanswered questions about ALS, including the root cause. What we do know is that nerve cells that control the movement of muscles gradually die in ALS patients.

Researchers around the world continue to investigate the possible causes of ALS, including whether the immune system plays a role in attacking the body cells, potentially killing nerve cells. Scientists are examining chemical imbalance and trying to determine if proteins in people with ALS are being incorrectly processed by nerve cells.

Environmental factors are also being put under the scrutiny. One study has stated that members of the military personnel in the Gulf region during the 1991 war were more likely to develop Lou Gehrigs disease than military personnel stationed anywhere else. The question is, could mechanical or electrical trauma, exposure to high levels of exercise, exposure to high levels of agricultural chemicals, or heavy metals play a role?

Prognosis Of Als Vs Parkinsons

ALS is considered as a fatal disease. The damage and death of neurons begins to spread throughout the body. In the later stages, nerve damage will affect areas like breathing and swallowing.

Parkinsons disease in itself is not considered fatal but people do die from complications relating to the condition.

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Ethics Approval And Consent To Participate

The study was carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the Oregon Health & Science University institutional review board with written informed consent from all subjects. All subjects gave written informed consent in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The protocols were approved by the OHSU IRB .

Group Comparison Of Sf

What Is The Difference Between Parkinson

Multiple sclerosis v the general population

Participants with multiple sclerosis had lower mean scores on all dimensions of the SF-36 compared with the UK norms after controlling for sociodemographic variables . The differences in scores were larger for the two physical domains of the SF-36 profile: physical function and role limitationsphysical substantial for five domains: social function , role limitationsemotional , general health , vitality , and bodily pain and small for the mental health dimension . This indicates that relative to the UK norms, multiple sclerosis has the greatest impact on the physical function and role limitationsphysical dimensions. All differences were significant at p < 0.001.

Figure 1

Graph showing SF-36 scores for multiple sclerosis patients compared with UK norms controlling for age, sex, marital status, social class, employment, and ethnicity. Error bars = SEM. BP, bodily pain GH, general health perceptions MH, mental health PF, physical functioning RE, role emotional RP, role physical SF, social functioning VT, vitality.

Multiple sclerosis subgroups defined by level of indoor mobility

Figure 2

Parkinsons disease v the general population

Figure 3

Multiple sclerosis v Parkinsons disease

Figure 4

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The Diseases And Your Nerve Cells

“Sclerosisâ comes from the Greek word for âscar.â Both ALS and MS cause scarring of the covering of nerve fibers. But the process of how that happens is different for each.

Nerve cells in your body are wrapped in thin coverings called myelin sheaths. They protect these cells, similar to how insulation protects electrical wires.

When you have MS, your body attacks the myelin sheaths in your brain and spinal cord.

When myelin sheaths are damaged, signals from your brain to other parts of your body get short-circuited.

ALS breaks down the actual nerve cells in your brain and spinal cord. These cells, called motor neurons, are in charge of the voluntary muscles in your arms, legs, face, and diaphragm for breathing.

You lose control of your motor functions, and as the motor neurons break down, the myelin sheaths harden.

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