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arkinson's disease is a movement disorder. It
affects the nervous system, and symptoms become worse over time.
Other movement disorders include cerebral palsy, ataxia,
and Tourette syndrome. They happen when a change in the nervous system affects
a person's ability to move or stay still.
The National Institutes of
Health (NIH) note that, in the United States, around 50,000
peoplereceive a diagnosis of Parkinson's
disease (PD) each year, and around half a million people are
living with the condition.
Read on to find out more
about this condition, the early signs, and what causes it.
What
is Parkinson's disease?
Tremor in one hand is a early sign of Parkinson's disease.
The symptoms of PD develop
gradually. They often start with a slight tremor in one hand and a feeling of
stiffness in the body.
Over time, other symptoms
develop, and some people will have dementia.
Most of the symptoms result
from a fall in dopamine levels in the brain.
One study, based in
France, found in 2015 that men are 50 percent more likely to develop PD than
women overall, but the risk for women appears to increase with age.
In most people, symptoms
appear at the age of 60 years or over. However in 5–10 percent of
cases they appear earlier. When PD develops before the age of 50 years, this is
called "early onset" PD.
Early signs
Here are some early signs
of PD:
·
Movement: There
may be a tremor in the hands.
·
Coordination:
A reduced sense of coordination and balance can cause people to drop items they
are holding. They may be more likely to fall.
·
Gait: The
person's posture may change, so that they lean forward slightly, as if they
were hurrying. They may also develop a shuffling gait.
·
Facial expression: This can become fixed, due to changes in the nerves
that control facial muscles.
·
Voice: There
may be a tremor in the voice, or the person may speak more softly than before.
·
Handwriting:
This may become more cramped and smaller.
·
Sense of smell: A loss of sense of smell can be an early sign.
·
Sleep problems: These are a feature of Parkinson's, and they may be an
early sign. Restless legs may contribute to this.
Other common symptoms
include:
·
mood changes, including depression
·
difficulty chewing and swallowing
·
problems with urination
·
skin problems
·
sleep problems
REM sleep
disorder:
Authors of a study published
in 2015 describe another neurological condition, REM
sleep disorder, as a "powerful predictor" for PD and
some other neurological conditions.
The
importance of recognizing early symptoms
Many people think that the
early signs of Parkinson's are normal signs of aging. For this reason, they may
not seek help.
However, treatment is more
likely to be effective if a person takes it early in the development of PD. For
this reason, it is important to get an early diagnosis if possible.
If treatment does not start
until the person has clear symptoms, it will not be as effective.
Moreover, a number of other
conditions can have similar symptoms.
These include:
·
drug-induced Parkinsonism
·
head trauma
·
stroke
·
Lewy body dementia
·
corticobasal degeneration
·
multiple system atrophy
·
progressive supranuclear palsy
The similarity to other
conditions can make it hard for doctors to diagnose Parkinson's disease in the
early stages.
Movement symptoms may start
on one side of the body and gradually affect both sides.
Causes
and risk factors
Scientists are not sure
what causes PD. It happens when nerve cells die in the brain.
If a person with Parkinson's also has changes known as Lewy bodies in the brain, they can develop dementia.
Low dopamine
levels:
Scientists have linked low or falling levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter,
with PD. This happens when cells that produce dopamine die in the brain.
Dopamine plays a role in
sending messages to the part of the brain that controls movement and
coordination. Low dopamine levels can make it harder for people to control
their movements.
As dopamine levels fall in
a person with PD, their symptoms gradually become more severe.
Low
norepinephrine levels: Norepinephrine, another neurotransmitter, is important for controlling
many automatic body functions, such as the circulation of the blood.
In PD, the nerve endings
that produce this neurotransmitter die. This may explain why people with PD
experience not only movement problems but also fatigue,
constipation, and orthostatic hypotension, when blood pressure changes
on standing up, leading to light-headedness.
Lewy bodies: A person with PD may have clumps of
protein in their brain known as Lewy bodies. Lewy body dementia is a different
condition, but it has links with PD.
Genetic
factors:
Sometimes, PD appears to run in families, but it is not always hereditary.
Researchers are trying to identify specific genetic factors that may lead to
PD, but it appears that not one but a number of factors are responsible.
For this reason, they
suspect that a combination for genetic and environmental factors may lead to
the condition.
Possible environmental
factors could
include exposure to toxins, such as pesticides, solvents,
metals, and other pollutants.
Autoimmune
factors:
Scientists reported in JAMA in 2017 that they had found evidence of a
possible genetic link between PD and autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid
arthritis.
In 2018, researchers
investigating health records in Taiwan found that people with autoimmune
rheumatic diseases (ARD) had a 1.37-higher chance of
also having PD than people without ARD.
Prevention
Using appropriate protection when using pesticides and other toxins may help reduce the risk of PD.
It is not possible to
prevent Parkinson's disease, but research has shown that some lifelong habits
may help to reduce the risk.
Turmeric: This spice contains curcumin, an antioxidant ingredient.
It may help to prevent the clumping of a protein involved in Parkinson's
disease, at least one laboratory study has
found.
Flavonoids: Consuming another type of
antioxidant — flavonoids — may lower the risk of developing Parkinson's
disease, according to research.
Flavonoids are present in berries, apples, some vegetables, tea, and red
grapes.
Avoiding
reheated cooking oils: Scientists have
linked toxic chemicals, known as aldehydes, to Parkinson's,
Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases, and some cancers.
Heating certain oils — such
as sunflower oil — to a certain temperature, and then using them again can
cause aldehydes to occur in those oils.
Avoiding
toxins: Exposure
to herbicides, pesticides, and other toxins may increase the risk of
neurological diseases such as PD. People should take precautions when using
these types of product, for example, by using protective clothing.
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