Parkinson's Disease Research Paper

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological degenerative disorder that affects movement. It was discovered and analyze by James Parkinson in 1817. This disease is a progressive disease; it gets worse with the passing of the years. The disease itself is not deadly, but it has serious side effects. The CDC rated these complications as the 14th cause of deaths in the U.S.

The average age of diagnostic of PD is 62. Any person diagnosed before 50 is considered to have Young-Onset Parkinson's Disease. This type of patients, have a slower disease progression and because their brains are younger, they are more likely to respond to treatment due to their neuroplasticity.

A specific cause of this disease has not yet been found, it’s considered idiopathic . But studies have shown that a decrease of dopamine levels will lead to the disease.

The malady mostly affects the neurons in the substantia nigra . This area of the brain contains neurons that release dopamine, a chemical that helps coordinate body movement. When 60-80% of this neurotransmitters are damage and do not produce enough dopamine, symptoms of Parkinson’s disease begin to appear. This process is called neurodegeneration. Only about 10-15% of the cases of PD are thought to be due to genetics.
There are 4 types of symptoms that are cause by Parkinson’s disease. The first one are “Primary Motor Symptoms,” which include: resting tremor , rigidity , bradykinesia and postural instability . The second type are “Secondary Motor Symptoms,” which include: freezing , mask-like expression , dystonia , among others. And last but not least, there are “nonmotor symptoms,” which contain: orthostatic hypotension , loss of the sense of smell, sleep disorders, etc.
Because there is no standard diagnostic test, the doctor has to analyze the disease based “on the clinical information provided by the person with Parkinson’s and the findings of the neurological exam” (Parkinson’s Disease Foundation). Mainly, the doctor checks for the patient’s balance, tremors, walk, and expressions.
During the stage 1 of the disease, the symptoms are mild and do not interfere with daily activities, tremors occur on one side of the body.

In stage 2, the symptoms are more evident and daily-life activities become harder; at this stage tremors happen on both sides of the body. During stage 3, symptoms become more severe and impair daily-life activities; the person begins to loss balance and bradykinesia begins to appear. In stage 4, the person is still able to stand on their own, but unable to live alone. And finally, during stage 5 the person might be unable to walk; 24/7 nurse care is needed and the person might start hallucinating or having delusions.

There isn’t any cure for Parkinson’s disease, but treatment help reduce and slower the symptoms of the disease. Prescription medication include dopamine agonists , MAO inhibitor and anticholinergic . Over-the-counter medication are vitamin E, C, and Coenzyme Q10 . Another type of treatment is Deep Brain Stimulation, or DBS; in which a small electrode is implant in your brain and it sends electrical impulses to stimulate the parts of the brain that cause some of the symptoms of

PD.
Living with Parkinson’s Disease can have serious long lasting consequences. It might lead to anxiety and depression, which could hinder long-term outcomes; that’s why it’s important for people that suffer from this malady to stay socially connected, on time with their medical appointments, and have someone to talk to. A well balanced diet and exercise are recommended. The patient should avoid red wine, soybean products, aged cheeses and fermented meats/fishes, because it might negatively affect the medication. Dexterity problems can be embarrassing, but isolation is not the solution. Compensatory strategies are a good help, including big wallets easy to access and not using change.
Common health care professionals that surround a patient with Parkinson’s Disease are movement disorder specialists (they specialize in treating people with motor disorders), general neurologists (to treat seizures), primary care providers (to be in charge of the patient’s overall health), nurses (to help the patient with his/her daily-life activities), social workers (to deal with insurance and disability problems), pharmacists (to provide the medication), psychologists (to help the patient and his/her family to cope with the disease), among others.
The famous boxer Muhammad Ali and the actor Michael J. Fox are celebrities that had been diagnose with Parkinson’s Disease. Michael J. Fox created a foundation for the disease called “Michael J. Fox Foundation.”