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Parkinson's Disease - Parkinson's Disease symptom, treatment, causes

Parkinson's Disease is a slowly progressive disease that causes degeneration in certain parts of the brain and is characterised by slow movements, rigid muscles, tremor, and a tendency to fall easily. The effects of parkinson's disease (also called para1ysis agitans) result from degeneration of nerve connections at the base of the brain. The cause is unknown. Parkinson's disease is rare before the age of 50 but its incidence increases in older people: I per cent of the population over 65 is affected, men more than women.

Parkinson's is a disease that causes a progressive loss of nerve cell function in the part of the brain that controls muscle movement. People with Parkinson's disease often experience trembling, muscle rigidity, difficulty walking, problems with balance and slowed movements. The four main symptoms are tremor, or trembling in hands, arms, legs, jaw, or head; rigidity, or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; bradykinesia, or slowness of movement; and postural instability , or impaired balance. These symptoms usually develop after age 60, although some people affected by Parkinson's disease are younger than age 50. PD is both chronic, meaning it persists over a long period of time, and progressive, meaning its symptoms grow worse over time. It is not contagious. Although some PD cases appear to be hereditary, and a few can be traced to specific genetic mutations, most cases are sporadic that is, the disease does not seem to run in families.  Many researchers now believe that PD results from a combination of genetic susceptibility and exposure to one or more environmental factors that trigger the disease.  PD is the most common form of parkinsonism , the name for a group of disorders with similar features and symptoms. The term idiopathic means a disorder for which no cause has yet been found. While most forms of parkinsonism are idiopathic, there are some cases where the cause is known or suspected or where the symptoms result from another disorder.  For example, parkinsonism may result from changes in the brain's blood vessels.

Secondary parkinsonism is the name given to the same symptoms when they develop as a result of other damage to these nerve connections caused by inflammation of the brain (ENCEPHALITIS), reduced blood supply to the base of the brain, or disorders of nerve impulse transmission due to some drugs or poisons.

Causes of Parkinson's Disease

The common Causes of Parkinson's Disease :

• Antipsychotic drugs (such as haloperidol (Haldol), fluphenazine (Prolixin), trifluoperazine (Stelazine) and chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
• Stroke .
• Meningitis.
• Brain tumors .
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Hydrocephalus
• IV drug abuse of MPTP
• Encephalitis.
• Reserpine.

Symptom of Parkinson's Disease

The first symptom is usually slight tremor of one hand, arm or leg, which is worse when the limb is at rest but better when it is in use. As the disease worsens. more muscles on both sides of the body become affected by tremor, rigidity and weakness. There may be constant trembling of the hands and uncontrolled nodding of the head. Wa1king becomes stiff, shuffling and unstable, and the back develops a rigid stoop. The muscles of the face tighten and the expression becomes fixed and mask-like. Speech becomes softer, monotonous and stammering. Some common Parkinson's Disease :

• Difficulty and shuffling when walking.
• Depression.
• Poor balance.
• Trouble chewing and swallowing.
• Increasingly mask-like face, with little variation in expression.
• Shaky, spidery handwriting.
• Stooped posture.
• Difficulty thinking, problems with memory.
• Slowness of purposeful movements.

The intellect is not affected untn late in the disease and because of this, people with parkinson's disease often become depressed by their loss of mobility and independence.

Treament of Parkinson's Disease

There is no known cure for Par-kinson's disease, but stiffness and tremor can be relieved by medication. Exercise, physiotherapy and rehabilitation therapy enable the patient to remain active and independent for as long as possible. Support groups have been established to help patients, their families and carers.