Treatment Of Parkinson’s Disease
MedicationIn addition to combating the symptoms of Parkinson’s with lifestyle changes such as exercise and/or physical therapy, medication therapy can help control Parkinson’s symptoms. Because people with the disease have low levels of dopamine, the main drug therapy is based on increasing dopamine levels in the brain.
The drug levodopa contains a substance that occurs naturally in the body. When taken, the drug is converted to dopamine when it reaches the brain. Levodopa is combined with another substance to ensure it does not convert to dopamine before reaching the brain.
As Parkinson’s disease progresses, the benefit from levodopa may become less reliable. In addition, levodopa side effects can include confusion, delusions and hallucinations, as well as involuntary movements called dyskinesia. The dose can be reduced to mitigate these side effects, but sometimes at the expense of losing the benefits of symptom control.
Other types of drugs can be used in combination with levodopa to prolong its beneficial effects. Some of these drugs work by blocking the enzymes known to break down dopamine, whether created naturally in the brain or by levodopa. Other types of medication, including anticholinergics and antivirals, are sometimes used to control physical symptoms such as tremor and involuntary movement. However, patients may find that their limited benefits do not offset the sometimes serious side effects.
External resources for Parkinson’s disease:
How Is Parkinsons Disease Treated
There is no cure for Parkinsons disease. However, medications and other treatments can help relieve some of your symptoms. Exercise can help your Parkinsons symptoms significantly. In addition, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language therapy can help with walking and balance problems, eating and swallowing challenges and speech problems. Surgery is an option for some patients.
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.
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Research Roundup: Two Types Of Parkinsons Disease And More
Every week there are numerous scientific studies published. Heres a look at some of the more interesting ones.
Parkinsons Disease is Actually Two Diseases
Researchers from Aarhus Universityin Denmark indicating that Parkinsons disease is actually two types of the disease. This helps explain why there are so many different symptoms and pathways. Parkinsons is marked by slow deterioration of the brain from accumulation of alpha-synuclein, a protein that damages nerve cells. This causes slow, stiff movements. Some patients apparently have damage to the brains dopamine system before damage in the intestines and heart occurs. Other patients have damage to the nervous systems of the intestines and heart before the damage in the brains dopamine system. The research was published in the journal Brain.
With the help of advanced scanning techniques, weve shown that Parkinsons disease can be divided into two variants, which start in different places in the body, said Per Borghammer, professor of clinical medicine at Aarhus University. For some patients, the disease starts in the intestines and spreads from there to the brain through neural connections. For others, the disease starts in the brain and spreads to the intestines and other organs such as the heart.
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This Explains Why Patients Can Experience Such Wildly Different Symptoms
Prior to this study, it was generally believed that there was only one type of Parkinsons disease. However, their work revealed that there are actually two major strains of the disease that can leave patients susceptible to a wide range of symptoms.;
Until now, many people have viewed the disease as relatively homogenous and defined it based on the classical movement disorders, said researcher Per Borghammer. But at the same time, weve been puzzled about why there was such a big difference between patient symptoms. With this new knowledge, the different symptoms make more sense and this is also the perspective in which future research should be viewed.;
Parkinsonism can be categorized into four different types. These are:
Primary parkinsonism, Familial neurodegenerative conditions causing parkinsonism.
What is Primary parkinsonism?Primary parkinsonism is due to idiopathic Parkinsons disease. It includes sporadic and familial cases and accounts for about 80% of parkinsonism cases.
What is Secondary parkinsonism?This form of parkinsonism, can be caused by a variety of issues. These include drug induced, infections, toxins, vascular, trauma to brain, hemi-atrophy hemi-parkinsonism, brain tumors, normal pressure hydrocephalus, hypoxia, and metabolic dysfunction.
Two other Parkinson plus conditions are progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasilar degeneration . They differ from Parkinsons disease in that:
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Brief Description Of Treatment
You didnt want to need any treatment in the early stages of Parkinsons disease because the symptoms are usually mild. However, you are to visiting your specialist regularly so that your condition can be monitor.
Currently, there is no treatment for Parkinsons disease. However, there are a number of treatments available to control symptoms and maintain your quality of life. These may be supportive therapy to help you cope with daily life or medicines to control your symptoms. For individuals with certain symptoms, surgery may be an option.
You are agree on a care plan with your health care workers and your family or caregiver, and it should be review regularly.
Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms Everyone Should Know
Parkinsons disease symptoms can include tremor and trouble with movement, along with emotional and cognitive changes.
Parkinson’s disease symptoms can vary significantly from person to person. Some people may have range of motor symptoms, like tremor, stiffness, and slow movements. Others may also experience the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, such as anxiety, cognitive changes, and loss of smell.
It has to do with a chemical messenger known as dopamine, which plays a role in the brain’s ability to control movement, coordination, and emotional responses. In Parkinson’s disease, the brain cells that produce dopamine either stop doing their job or they die out, resulting in both motor and non-motor symptoms. ; It’s not always easy to tell if someone you care about has Parkinson’s disease. Let’s take a closer look at the symptoms of the disease and signs that someone should make an appointment with their doctor.
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How Is Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosed
A person doesn’t need to have all the signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease to be diagnosed with it.
“In general, people have a combination of the motor symptoms and the non-motor symptoms,” says Dr. Nwabuobi. “Some people have more non-motor symptoms than motor and vice versa, but in order to have a diagnosis of Parkinson’s, you definitely need the motor symptoms. We’re looking for specific things , including a rest tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity, and poor balance.”
According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, a person needs to have two of the four main motor symptoms of Parkinson’s over a period of time to be diagnosed with the disease.
What Is Parkinson’s Disease Its A Movement Disorder
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive brain illness that affects the way you move. In more clinical terms, Parkinsons disease is a neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system.
Normally, there are cells in the brain that produce a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine sends signals to the parts of your brain that control movement. When approximately 60-80% of the dopamine-producing brain cells are damaged, symptoms of Parkinson’s disease appear, and you may have trouble moving the way you want.
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic illness and it slowly progresses over time. While there is no therapy or medicine that cures Parkinsons disease, there are good treatment options available that can help you live a full life.
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Diet Advice Parkinsons Disease
Some people with Parkinsons disease may experience constipation . This are improving by increasing the amount of fiber in your diet and making sure you drink enough water. The natural fiber is present in fruits, vegetables, and grains. You should drink six to eight glasses of water every day.
Another common problem is orthostatic or postural hypotension. This is low blood pressure causes by changing body posture, especially after standing up on ones own. If you have orthostatic hypotension, your doctor may advise you to increase the amount of salt and water in your diet.
- Observing the following also helps with hypotension:
- Avoiding Caffeine Consumption in the Evening
- Eating small, frequent meals instead of large amounts
- Abstaining from alcohol
- About 50% of people with Parkinsons disease experience unintentional weight loss. Your doctor may refer you to a dietician .
How Is A Diagnosis Made
Because other conditions and medications mimic the symptoms of PD, getting an accurate diagnosis from a physician is important. No single test can confirm a diagnosis of PD, because the symptoms vary from person to person. A thorough history and physical exam should be enough for a diagnosis to be made. Other conditions that have Parkinsons-like symptoms include Parkinsons plus, essential tremor, progressive supranuclear palsy, multi-system atrophy, dystonia, and normal pressure hydrocephalus.
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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.
Diagnosis And Management Of Parkinsons Disease
There are no diagnostic tests for Parkinsons. X-rays, scans and blood tests may be used to rule out other conditions. For this reason, getting a diagnosis of Parkinsons may take some time.;;
No two people with Parkinsons disease will have exactly the same symptoms or treatment. Your doctor or neurologist can help you decide which treatments to use.
People can manage their Parkinsons disease symptoms through:;
- seeing a Doctor who specialises in Parkinsons
- medication
- multidisciplinary therapy provided for example, by nurses, allied health professionals and counsellors
- deep brain stimulation surgery .
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How Parkinsons Disease Affects The Brain
What makes Parkinsons disease distinctive from other movement disorders is that cell loss occurs in a very specific region of the brain called the substantia nigra . The nerve cells, or neurons, in this region actually appear dark under a microscope .
Those dark neurons produce a specific type of neurotransmitter called dopamine. The neurotransmitter dopamine helps to regulate movement. This loss of dopamine is the reason that many treatments for Parkinsons Disease are intended to increase dopamine levels in the brain. Future research will hopefully tell us more about alpha-synuclein. Learn more about APDA research initiatives here.
In addition to decreases in dopamine and the cells that make dopamine, you might also read or hear about alpha-synuclein . We do not yet know what this protein does in the healthy brain, but in Parkinsons disease it clumps up in what are called Lewy bodies. Researchers believe that alphasynuclein build-up contributes to the cause of Parkinsons disease and that it may be possible to develop new treatments based on this idea.
Movement Disorders Similar To Parkinsons
Conditions causing excess movement or decreased movement that are sometimes associated with Parkinsons disease-like symptoms include:
What Movement Disorder Could I Have?
When making a Parkinsons diagnosis, your doctor will review your medical history and symptoms, perform a careful neurological exam, and, if necessary, carry out further tests to rule out other movement disorders.
Your symptoms may be caused by a movement disorder other than Parkinsons disease if:
- You display Parkinsons disease symptoms and features that are characteristic of an additional movement disorder.
- The results of a brain imaging study or laboratory test, such as a blood test, confirm the presence of another movement disorder.
- Your symptoms do not respond to Parkinsons disease medication.
Because movement disorders are not all treated the same way, it is important to get a proper diagnosis as early as possible so you can formulate the right treatment plan with your doctor.
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Learn More About Parkinsons Disease
Parkinsons Disease: The Essentials
If youre new to Parkinsons disease and would like a good overview to help you better understand the disease, please view our Parkinsons Disease: The Essentials presentation. Its a great place to get started with reliable and concise information.
Causes
The exact cause of Parkinsons is still unknown, but there is an enormous amount of research being done to learn more. This research has led scientists to formulate a number of theories on the cause of this disease.
Diagnosing
While there is no definitive test that can be taken to determine whether a person has Parkinsons disease, movement disorder specialists look for symptoms and use brain imaging technology to accurately diagnose Parkinsons.
Symptoms
Even though Parkinsons is classified as a movement disorderand its motor symptoms are the most discussed and well-knownthere are many non-motor symptoms that display in people with Parkinsons as well.
Treatments
As of today, there is no cure for Parkinsons disease. But there are many ways in which the disease can be treated to make symptoms more manageable.
Living With Parkinsons
Clinical Confirmation Of Parkinson Disease
The diagnosis of PD is guided by the Queen Square Brain Bank diagnostic criteria, which require two steps. Step one focuses on the definition of parkinsonism and requires the presence of bradykinesia and of either typical rest tremor, extrapyramidal rigidity, or postural instability . However, postural instability is not an early PD feature and should alert the clinician of an atypical parkinsonian disorder. Step two focuses on features typical of the parkinsonism of PD, such as unilateral onset, excellent response to levodopa therapy, and development of dyskinesia. Exclusion criteria include pyramidal signs, stepwise deterioration of parkinsonism , repeated head injury, history of encephalitis or oculogyric crisis, neuroleptic treatment at the onset of symptoms, strictly unilateral features after 3 years, supranuclear gaze palsy, cerebellar signs, early severe autonomic dysfunction, early severe cognitive dysfunction, negative response to levodopa, and imaging evidence of communicating hydrocephalus.
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What Are The Causes
The cause of Parkinson’s is largely unknown. Scientists are currently investigating the role that genetics, environmental factors, and the natural process of aging have on cell death and PD.
There are also secondary forms of PD that are caused by medications such as haloperidol , reserpine , and metoclopramide .
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:
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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
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Bradykinesia: Slowness of movement in the limbs, face, walking or overall body
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Rigidity: Stiffness in the arms, legs or;trunk
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Posture instability: Trouble with balance and possible falls
Once the patient is at the doctors office, the physician:
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Takes a medical history and does a physical examination.
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Asks about current and past medications. Some medications may cause symptoms that mimic Parkinsons disease.
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Performs a neurological examination, testing agility, muscle tone, gait and balance.
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What Is Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinsons disease occurs when;brain cells that make dopamine, a chemical that coordinates movement, stop working or die. Because PD can cause tremor, slowness, stiffness, and walking and balance problems, it is called a movement disorder. But constipation, depression, memory problems and other non-movement symptoms also can be part of Parkinsons. PD is a lifelong and progressive disease, which means that symptoms slowly worsen over time.
The experience of living with Parkinson’s over the course of a lifetime is;unique to each person. As symptoms and progression vary from person to person, neither you nor your doctor can predict which symptoms you will get, when you will get them or how severe they will be. Even though broad paths of similarity are observed among individuals with PD as the disease progresses, there is no guarantee you will experience what you see in others.
Parkinsons affects;nearly 1 million people in the United States;and;more than 6 million people worldwide.
For an in-depth guide to navigating Parkinsons disease and living well as the disease progresses, check out our;Parkinsons 360 toolkit.
What Is Parkinson’s Disease?
Dr. Rachel Dolhun, a movement disorder specialist and vice president of medical communications at The Michael J. Fox Foundation, breaks down the basics of Parkinson’s.
What Is The Outlook For Persons With Parkinsons Disease
Although there is no cure or absolute evidence of ways to prevent Parkinsons disease, scientists are working hard to learn more about the disease and find innovative ways to better manage it, prevent it from progressing and ultimately curing it.
Currently, you and your healthcare teams efforts are focused on medical management of your symptoms along with general health and lifestyle improvement recommendations . By identifying individual symptoms and adjusting the course of action based on changes in symptoms, most people with Parkinsons disease can live fulfilling lives.
The future is hopeful. Some of the research underway includes:
- Using stem cells to produce new neurons, which would produce dopamine.
- Producing a dopamine-producing enzyme that is delivered to a gene in the brain that controls movement.
- Using a naturally occurring human protein glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor, GDNF to protect dopamine-releasing nerve cells.
Many other investigations are underway too. Much has been learned, much progress has been made and additional discoveries are likely to come.
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