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When Was Parkinson’s Disease First Discovered

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How Long Have We Known About Parkinsons Disease

A History of Parkinsons Disease. Parkinsons disease is named for the English physician James Parkinson, who in 1817 published a comprehensive description titled An Essay on the Shaking Palsy. Though Parkinsons research was later recognized as a major work in the field, it received little attention for decades.

Parkinsons Disease Risk Factors

Although a primary cause for Parkinsons disease is yet to be identified, a number of risk factors are clearly evident.

Advancing age Although there is the occasional case of the disease being developed as a young adult, it generally manifests itself in the middle to late years of life. The risk continues to increase the older one gets. Some researchers assume that people with Parkinsons have neural damage from genetic or environmental factors that get worse as they age.

Sex- Males are more likely to get Parkinsons than females. Possible reasons for this may be that males have greater exposure to other risk factors such as toxin exposure or head trauma. It has been theorised that oestrogen may have neuro-protective effects. Or, in the case of genetic predisposition, a gene predisposing someone to Parkinsons may be linked to the X chromosome.

Family history Having one or more close relatives with the disease increases the likelihood that you will get it, but to a minimal degree. This lends support to the idea that there is a genetic link in developing Parkinsons.

Declining oestrogen levels Post menopausal who do not use hormone replacement therapy are at greater risk, as are those who have had hysterectomies.

Low levels of B vitamin folate Researchers discovered that mice with a deficiency of this vitamin developed severe Parkinsons symptoms, while those with normal levels did not.

2002-2012©Parkinsons Disease Information.

How Lifestyle Behaviors Influence Risk Of Parkinson Disease

Matthew Gavidia

People with prior incidence of traumatic brain injury and exposure to lead were shown to be at elevated risk of Parkinson disease development, with family history also found to influence risk.

History of head trauma or concussion and exposure to lead may more than double the risk of Parkinson disease , according to study findings published in Parkinsons Disease.

In determining risk of PD, the study authors said that conflicting research has been published on whether genetic factors play a role in the pathogenesis of the condition. As a result, they noted that PD is likely caused by a complex interaction between genetic and environmental risk factors, which include exposure to pesticides, toxic metals, solvents, and history of traumatic brain injury.

Identifying environmental factors that increase PD risk would allow exposure mitigation and disease prevention efforts while facilitating the experimental investigation of mechanisms and intervention opportunities, noted the study authors.

Along with prior studies that have found a positive link between rural living and the development of PD, a spatial analysis of US Medicare beneficiaries showed a concentration of PD in the Midwest and Northeast.

In addition to exposure and physical activity, participants reported on the family medical history of diagnosis of neurological disorder within each of their family members, they added.

Reference

How Is Huntingtons Disease Diagnosed

Scientists were able to identify the affected gene as a marker for Huntingtons Disease in 1993. A diagnostic test is now available that can identify the presence of the protein huntingtin before symptoms appear. In most cases, genetic counseling is recommended after a positive diagnosis for Huntingtons Disease, as the defective chromosome is indiscriminately passed on to future generations. 

What Is Parkinsons Disease

World Parkinsons Disease Day: The life of the man who ...

Parkinsons disease is a condition that affects the brain, resulting in a progressive loss of coordination and movement. It is the most common form of parkinsonism disorders and is sometimes called idiopathic or primary parkinsonism.

The disease is named after a British physician, James Parkinson, who first described it in An Essay on the Shaking Palsy in 1817.

In Parkinsons disease, nerve cells, also called neurons, in a region of the brain called the substantia nigra begin to malfunction or die, a process called neurodegeneration. Some of the neurons are responsible for producing a chemical called . Dopamine acts as a neurotransmitter, which is passes signals between neurons. It is essential in sending messages from the brain to direct muscle movement and coordination.

Parkinsons is a progressive disease, which means symptoms get worse over time. As more dopamine-producing neurons die, the levels of dopamine in the brain decrease until patients are unable to control normal movements. This progression is very slow, and symptoms usually are visible after about 70 to 80 percent of the nerve cells have been lost.

Parkinson’s Disease Is Not One But Two Diseases

Date:
Aarhus University
Summary:
Researchers around the world have been puzzled by the different symptoms and varied disease pathways of Parkinson’s patients. A major study has now identified that there are actually two types of the disease.

Although the name may suggest otherwise, Parkinson’s disease is not one but two diseases, starting either in the brain or in the intestines. Which explains why patients with Parkinson’s describe widely differing symptoms, and points towards personalised medicine as the way forward for people with Parkinson’s disease.

This is the conclusion of a study which has just been published in the leading neurology journal Brain.

The researchers behind the study are Professor Per Borghammer and Medical Doctor Jacob Horsager from the Department of Clinical Medicine at Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.

“With the help of advanced scanning techniques, we’ve shown that Parkinson’s disease can be divided into two variants, which start in different places in the body. 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,” explains Per Borghammer.

He also points out that the discovery could be very significant for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease in the future, as this ought to be based on the individual patient’s disease pattern.

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Pharmacological Advances: Charcot And Gowers

Early treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Prescription dated 1877 from the College of Physicians of Philadelphia Library. In treating Parkinson’s disease, Charcot used belladonna alkaloids as well as rye-based products that had ergot activity, a feature of some currently available dopamine agonists. Charcots advice was empiric and preceded the recognition of the well-known dopaminergic/cholinergic balance that is implicit to normal striatal neurochemical activity .

Everything, or almost everything, has been tried against this disease. Among the medicinal substances that have been extolled and which I have myself administered to no avail, I need only enumerate a few .

Finnish Researchers May Have Discovered The Root Cause Of Parkinsons Disease

According to a report by Helsingin Sanomat, researchers from the University of Helsinki believe that they have found the root cause of Parkinsons disease, a long-term, degenerative brain disorder that affects movement. 

The results of a study published in the Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology suggest that the disease could originate from hydrogen sulfide produced by intestinal bacteria. The pathologic process thus begins in the gut and spreads to the brain. 

The idea was first put forth by Kari Murros, adjunct professor of neurology at the University of Helsinki. Murros published the article along with Per Saris, a professor of food microbiology. 

The research team analysed fecal samples of 40 participants. Half the participants had been diagnosed with Parkinsons disease, while the rest were healthy. 

Researchers found comparatively high levels of a bacteria belonging to the Desulfovibrio genus in the gut microbiota of the Parkinsons patients. 

A higher concentration of the Desulfovibrio bacteria was associated with more severe forms of the disease, with over ten million bacteria detected per stool sample in the worst cases.

The Desulfovibrio bacteria produces substances such as hydrogen sulfide and lipopolysaccharide and in some cases magnetite, which likely contribute to the onset of Parkinsons.

 

From The Outset It Is Clear That He Was Well Aware Of How Devastating The Disease Could Be

The major difference between Parkinsons definition and the modern understanding of Parkinsons disease is with regard to his final observation, the importance of non-motor symptoms, as there is an increasing realisation that dementia is an important part of the symptomatic spectrum of Parkinsonism.

The centrepiece of the essay is Parkinsons report of a typical history for the Shaking Palsy, illustrated with a series of six cases from in and around Hoxton, sharing a number of characteristic symptoms. Although varying in detail , these contain a wealth of information that neurologists today would recognise from their own interaction with Parkinsons disease patients.

The contents and first page of An essay on the Shaking Palsy, written by James Parkinson in 1817

Much is made in the essay of the inadequacy of the treatments available to sufferers. The optimism of Parkinsons humanist tendencies prompted him to suggest that: there appears to be sufficient reason for hoping that some remedial process may ere long be discovered, by which, at least, the progress of the disease may be stopped. Sadly it was to be 140 years before the work of Arvid Carlsson and others eventually led to the development of levodopa as a symptomatic treatment for the Shaking Palsy, and we still await an intervention that actually retards the progress of the disease.

Who Is At The Highest Risk Of Developing Parkinsons Disease As A Result Of Paraquat Exposure

Everyone who worked with or was frequently around paraquat is at risk of developing Parkinsons disease, as this herbicide is very toxic. The majority of people who use paraquat are agricultural workers. However, there are some categories of people who have the highest risk of developing Parkinsons disease as a consequence of prolonged exposure to paraquat, which refers to the following:

Consequently, agricultural workers are not the only category of people who are at risk of developing Parkinsons disease following paraquat exposure. If you notice the symptoms of this condition in a family member with a history of paraquat exposure, we strongly advise you to encourage them to seek medical attention. Because Parkinsons disease is often misdiagnosed, your family member may need to look for a second and even a third opinion from medical specialists if they do not receive a diagnosis of Parkinsons disease after their initial appointment. It is important to keep in mind that only individuals who struggle with Parkinsons disease are eligible for compensation if they were exposed to paraquat.

Assessment Of Type 2 Diabetes At Baseline

Assessment of the history of type 2 diabetes was based on self-reporting and on the data of two nationwide registers. The National Hospital Discharge Register data included hospital discharge diagnoses since 1968. Data on diabetes medication were ascertained from the national Social Insurance Institutions register on special reimbursement for antidiabetic drugs from 1964. Antidiabetic drugs prescribed by a physician are free of charge in Finland and are subject to approval of a physician of the Institution who reviews each case history. The physician confirms the diagnosis of diabetes, applying the World Health Organization criteria: one or more classic symptoms plus a fasting plasma glucose level 7.8 mmol/l or the oral glucose tolerance test 11.1 mmol/l; at least one raised plasma glucose concentration on a fasting plasma glucose level 7.8 mmol/l or the oral glucose tolerance test 11.1 mmol/l in the absence of symptoms; or treatment with a hypoglycemic drug . All patients receiving free medication were entered into a register maintained by the Social Insurance Institution. Subjects who reported having diabetes on the questionnaire, or who had a hospital discharge with a diagnosis of diabetes, or the approval for free-of-charge medication for diabetes before the baseline survey, were classified as having the history of diabetes at baseline.

Causes And Risk Factors Of Parkinsons Disease

Genetics aside, environmental risk factors include head injury, area of residence, occupation, solvents and polychlorinated biphenyls, as well as exposure to pesticides, herbicides, and metals. Head injury refers to a traumatic brain injury that alters the level of consciousness, which seems to increase the risk of developing Parkinsons disease some years later. As for area of residence and occupation, there are differences in both the geographic distribution of Parkinsons disease and the incidence of Parkinsons disease in certain occupational categories. Pesticide and herbicide exposure are linked to Parkinsons disease, while metal exposure seems to be related to its development, but the exact connection is not entirely understood. Lastly, high concentrations of PCBs have been found in the brains of people with Parkinsons disease.

Apart from potential genetic causes and environmental risk factors, other risk factors include age and gender. More specifically, the number of people diagnosed with Parkinsons disease increases with age, regardless of sex, and approximately 1 percent of people over the age of 60 have the disease. As for gender, men are more likely to have Parkinsons disease than women. In rare cases, Parkinsonian symptoms can be caused by MPTP. This is a toxic impurity that can be found in the recreational drug MPPP, or desmethylprodine, which is a synthetic opioid.

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In Summary Reduce Your Stress

This discovery could help slow down progression of ...

The most important thing we can do for our long-term health, both physical and cognitive, is to reduce the stress in our bodies. All stress physical, emotional and chemical causes inflammation and long-term damage throughout the body.

Whether youre seeking Parkinsons prevention techniques or ways to alleviate symptoms, any of the above dietary and lifestyle practices can have long-term health benefits. Drinking green tea, eating organic, local vegetables, and regular aerobic exercise all significantly reduce the long-term cumulative damage done by stress.

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Who Is Most Affected By Parkinsons Disease

However, the disease affects about 50 percent more men than women. One clear risk factor for Parkinsons is age. Although most people with Parkinsons first develop the disease at about age 60, about 5 to 10 percent of people with Parkinsons have early-onset disease, which begins before the age of 50.

You might be interested: Readers ask: How do you know when it’s time to break up?

Accidental Discovery Leads To Parkinsons Disease Cure In Mice

SAN DIEGO Sometimes, scientific breakthroughs occur when researchers arent exactly looking for them. While attempting to better understand the function of a protein in connective tissue cells, UC San Diego School of Medicine scientists found a way to transform multiple types of cells into neurons. This discovery has led to the development of a treatment that eliminates symptoms of Parkinsons disease in mice.

The protein researchers were studying, called PTB, is known for its general role in activating or deactivating genes within a cell. In an attempt to better understand how PTB contributes to cell function, researchers silenced the PTB gene using a technique called siRNA in a type of connective tissue cell, known as a fibroblast. The researchers grew the fibroblasts in petri dishes, silenced PTB, and waited a couple of weeks to check on the fibroblasts and observe any changes.

When the researchers checked the fibroblasts, they were shocked. They found that very few fibroblasts remained in the dishes. Instead, the dishes contained mostly neurons. Unintentionally, they had discovered a way to turn fibroblasts into neurons.

In subsequent experiments, the researchers found that they could also turn other cells into neurons. When they silenced PTB in a type of non-neuronal brain cell known as an astrocyte, they were also able to generate neurons.

Fu is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

History Of Parkinson’s Disease

James ParkinsonEssay on the Shaking Palsy

The history of Parkinson’s disease expands from 1817, when British apothecary James Parkinson published An Essay on the Shaking Palsy, to modern times. Before Parkinson’s descriptions, others had already described features of the disease that would bear his name, while the 20th century greatly improved knowledge of the disease and its treatments. PD was then known as paralysis agitans . The term “Parkinson’s disease” was coined in 1865 by William Sanders and later popularized by French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot. Paralysis

Q: I Have Parkinsons Disease Should I Receive A Covid

A: For information about the COVID-19 vaccines how they work, safety, and more please visit our updated COVID-19 information section.  In general, your age alone increases your risk of complications from COVID-19 infection. Depending on what PD symptoms you have, PD can also increase the risk of complications from the virus. For these reasons, it would be wise to protect yourself as much as possible from COVID-19, which would include getting vaccinated. As always, speak to your doctor about your individual clinical situation and to find out when and where you will be able to get the vaccine.

Whats Different About Young

The age of diagnosis matters for a variety of reasons, from probable causes of early cases to symptoms and treatment:

  • Genetics. As with any case of Parkinsons disease, the exact cause is usually unknown. That said, The young-onset cases of Parkinsons disease are, on average, a bit more likely to be familial or genetic, says Gregory Pontone, M.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Movement Disorders Psychiatry Clinic.
  • Symptoms. In many patients with YOPD, dystonia is an early symptom. People with YOPD also report more dyskinesia . They also tend to exhibit cognitive problems, such as dementia and memory issues, less frequently.
  • Progression. Patients with young-onset Parkinsons appear to have a slower progression of the disease over time, says Pontone. They tend to have a milder course, staying functional and cognitively intact for much longer.
  • Treatment. Most patients with Parkinsons take the medication levodopa. However, other drugs, such as MAO-B inhibitors, anticholinergics, amantadine, and dopamine receptor agonists, may be used before levodopa.

From Doctor To Naturalist And Social Activist

Bristol University researcher Cherry Lewis notes in The Enlightened Mr. Parkinson, one of the most recent biographies of the English physician, that Parkinson was not only a pioneer in medicine but also internationally famous for his works on fossils. He revealed an unknown world His exquisitely illustrated Organic Remains of a Former World placed the study of fossils on the scientific map of Britain before the subject even had a name. Lewis also adds that the gold medal Parkinson received from the Royal College of Surgeons was not for his publications, not even for his Essay on the Shaky Palsy, but for his groundbreaking work on fossils.

Throughout his medical career, Parkinson showed a concern for social justice. In one of his works in 1799 he tried to help families with fewer resources to recognize illnesses and to understand when they should pay for medical help. Vaccination was one of the fields in which he was most closely linked: he became one of the first people in London to offer smallpox vaccines.

Q: I Received The Covid

A: The vaccine is certainly able to cause short term side effects of fatigue, aches and even fever. There isnt extensive data yet on how it affects PD symptoms, just anecdotal data.  For some people, PD symptoms are worse in the short term. This does not mean that your PD has progressed, and I would expect that you will return to your previous baseline in the next few days. I would talk with your neurologist about your worsened tremor as well.

Chemical That Triggers Parkinson’s Disease Discovered

U of G Discovery May Point to Parkinson

Date:
Saint Louis University
Summary:
The key brain chemical that causes Parkinson’s disease has been discovered. This is a breakthrough finding that could pave the way for new, far more effective therapies to treat one of the most common and debilitating neurological disorders.

Researchers at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine have discovered the key brain chemical that causes Parkinson’s disease – a breakthrough finding that could pave the way for new, far more effective therapies to treat one of the most common and debilitating neurological disorders.

Currently, the main approach for treating Parkinson’s disease, which afflicts more than 1.5 million Americans, is to replace dopamine that’s lost when the cells that produce it die off and cause the disorder. With this new research, however, scientists can better work toward ‘neuroprotective’ therapies – those that actually block dopamine cells from dying off in the first place.

“We believe this work represents a very significant breakthrough in understanding the complicated chemical process that results in Parkinson’s disease,” said William J. Burke, M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurology at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine and the study’s lead author.

“For the first time, we’ve identified the chemical that triggers the events in the brain that cause this disorder,” Burke added. “We believe these findings can be used to develop therapies that can actually stop or slow this process.”

Story Source:

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

What Causes Parkinsons Disease

Parkinsons disease is a chronic, progressive neurological disease that currently affects about 1 million Americans. Parkinsons disease involves a small, dark-tinged portion of the brain called the substantia nigra. This is where you produce most of the dopamine your brain uses. Dopamine is the chemical messenger that transmits messages between nerves that control muscle movements as well as those involved in the brains pleasure and reward centers. As we age, its normal for cells in the substantia nigra to die. This process happens in most people at a very slow rate.

But for some people, the loss happens rapidly, which is the start of Parkinsons disease. When 50 to 60 percent of the cells are gone, you begin to see the symptoms of Parkinsons.

Causes And Risk Factors

The cause of Parkinsons disease is not yet known, according to the Mayo Clinic. But researchers suspect that PD is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Parkinsons is a disease of aging, and getting older is the most common risk factor for it, Bega told Live Science. PD is more likely to develop in people around age 60, and the risk increases with every decade after 60, he noted.

The disorder can also be diagnosed in younger people, but its rare. Only 5 to 10 percent of people have early-onset disease, meaning people are diagnosed before age 50.

Besides age, other risk factors for Parkinsons disease include:

  • Being male: Men are 1.2 to 1.5 times more likely than women to develop Parkinsons, for reasons that are not yet known, Bega said.
  • Heredity: Some genetic mutations may contribute to the development of Parkinsons and can slightly increase a persons risk. But most cases of the disease are not caused by inheriting genes linked to it. Only about 10 percent of people with Parkinsons are genetically predisposed to the condition, according to the American Parkinson Disease Association.
  • Exposure to toxins: Studies have shown that environmental factors such as exposure to pesticides, herbicides and drinking well water may be tied to an increased risk of Parkinsons, but that risk is relatively small, Bega said.
  • Repeated head injuries: When these injuriestrigger a loss of consciousness, they have been linked with an increased risk of P.

Environmental Factors And Exposures

Exposure to and a history of head injury have each been linked with PD, but the risks are modest. Never having smoked cigarettes, and never drinking caffeinated beverages, are also associated with small increases in risk of developing PD.

Low concentrations of in the blood is associated with an increased risk of PD.

Drug-induced parkinsonism

Different medical drugs have been implicated in cases of parkinsonism. Drug-induced parkinsonism is normally reversible by stopping the offending agent. Drugs include:

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