18/11/2021
PARKINSON'S DISEASE
A disorder of the central nervous system that affects movement, often including tremors.
Nerve cell damage in the brain causes dopamine levels to drop, leading to the symptoms of Parkinson's.
People may experience:
Tremor: can occur at rest, in the hands, limbs, or can be postural
Muscular: stiff muscles, difficulty standing, difficulty walking, difficulty with bodily movements, involuntary movements, muscle rigidity, problems with coordination, rhythmic muscle contractions, slow bodily movement, or slow shuffling gait
Sleep: early awakening, nightmares, restless sleep, or sleep disturbances
Whole body: fatigue, dizziness, poor balance, or restlessness
Cognitive: amnesia, confusion in the evening hours, dementia, or difficulty thinking and understanding
Speech: difficulty speaking, soft speech, or voice box spasms
Nasal: distorted sense of smell or loss of smell
Urinary: dribbling of urine or leaking of urine
Mood: anxiety or apathy
Facial: jaw stiffness or reduced facial expression
Also common: blank stare, constipation, depression, difficulty swallowing, drooling, falling, fear of falling, loss in contrast sensitivity, neck tightness, small handwriting, trembling, unintentional writhing, or weight loss.
The 5 Stages of Parkinson's
uncontrollable shaking and tremors.
slowed movement (bradykinesia)
balance difficulties and eventual problems standing up.
stiffness in limbs.
How to Diagnose
Parkinson's Research, patients usually begin developing Parkinson's symptoms around age 60 and many live between 10 and 20 years after being diagnosed.
Causes
Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that develops when changes occur in the brain. Precisely why it happens is unclear, but scientists have identified some variations that occur.
Low dopamine levels
Parkinson’s disease symptoms mainly result from low or falling levels of dopamineTrusted Source, a neurotransmitter. It 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. Therefore, low dopamine levels can make it harder for people to control their movement.
As dopamine levels continue to fall, symptoms gradually become more severe.
Low norepinephrine levels
Parkinson’s disease may also involveTrusted Source damage to the nerve endings that produce another neurotransmitter, norepinephrine, which contributes to blood circulation and other automatic body functions.
Low levels of norepinephrine in Parkinson’s disease may increase the risk of both motor and nonmotor symptoms, such as:
stiffness and rigidity
postural instability
tremor
anxiety
difficulty focusing
dementia
depression
This may explainTrusted Source why people with Parkinson’s disease commonly experience orthostatic hypotension. This refers to when a person’s blood pressure changes when they stand up, leading to lightheadedness and a risk of falling.
-Autoimmune factors
- genetic factor
In patients with Parkinson's disease, physical therapy focuses on many functions such as transfer, posture, balance improvement and fall prevention, gait, upper limb functions, and physical capacity (including cardiorespiratory capacity) essential to carry out activities of daily life.
Globus pallidus internus: Improvement of motor symptoms in general
Pedunculopontine nucleus: Gait instability
Subthalamic nucleus: Disabling motor symptoms