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What
is Parkinson's Disease? Parkinson's
Disease is a disorder of the brain characterized
by shaking and difficulty with walking, movement, and coordination. The disease
is associated with damage to a part of the brain that controls muscle movement.
Parkinson's Disease is also called paralysis agitans
and shaking palsy. The disorder may affect one or
both sides of the body, with varying degrees of loss of function. Parkinson's
may also impair speech. Parkinson's was first described in England in 1817 by
James Parkinson. Parkinson's
is progressivley degenerative, until the patient has difficulty in dressing, shaving,
bathing, writing, getting in and out of the car, and even eating. When Parkinson's
affects the throat and neck muscles, the patient is in danger of malnutrition. Symptoms? There
are many symptoms and every individual will not experience all of them. The symptoms
include: - muscle
rigidity, stiffness, difficulty bending arms or legs, unstable, stooped, or slumped-over
posture,
- loss
of balance, changes in their walking pattern, shuffling walk, slow movements,
difficulty beginning to walk, difficulty initiating any voluntary movement, small
steps followed by the need to run to maintain balance
- freezing
of movement when the movement is stopped, inability to resume - movement muscle
aches and pains (myalgia), shaking, tremors, changes in facial expression reduced
ability to show facial expressions, may be unable to close mouth,
- reduced
rate of blinking, voice/speech changes, slow speech, difficulty speaking loss
of fine motor skills,difficulty writing, may be small and illegible, difficulty
eating.
What
Causes Parkinson's Disease? Parkinson's
disease is caused by the progressive deterioration of the nerve cells of the part
of the brain that controls muscle movement. The parts of the brain that control
muscle movement are the basal ganglia and the extrapyramidal area. In this condition,
deterioration of this area of the brain reduces the amount of dopamine available
to the body. When there is insufficient dopamine, the balance between dopamine
and other transmitters, such as acetylcholine become unbalanced. Without dopamine,
the nerve cells cannot properly transmit messages. When the nerve cells cannot
properly transmit messages, loss of muscle function occurs. Why
do the nerve cells deteriorate? The
exact reason that the cells of the brain deteriorate is unknown. The disorder
may affect one or both sides of the body, with varying degrees of loss of function. Side
Affects? Some
people with Parkinson's disease become severely depressed. A person with severe
Parkinson's may have overall mental deterioration also. Mental deterioration includes
dementia and hallucinations. Dementia may also be a side effect of some of the
medications used to treat the disorder. Who
gets Parkinson's? Parkinson's
disease usually occurs in adults. It is rare in children. When it occurs in children,
the cause is usually decreased sensitivity of the nerves (post-synaptic) to dopamine
and not because of deterioration of the area of the brain that produces dopamine.
Manganese
and Parkinson's Disease Exposure
to manganese fumes can also cause Parkinson's disease. Manganese is an element
used to form many important alloys. It is used in products for construction, machinery
and transportation. Manganese is also used in the steelmaking industry. People
who are exposed to manganese fumes often experience the following symtoms: - fatigue
- headache
- speech
disturbances
- rigidity
-
muscle contractions
- tremors
- disorientation
- loss
of memory
- impairment
of judgment
- abnormal
gait or difficulty in walking
- the
loss of the ability to control muscular movement
Is
there a Cure? Not
Yet. Medication can slow progression of the disease and researchers believe some
antioxidants may be beneficial also. Statistics - The
disease affects approximately 2 out of 1,000 people
- often
develops after age 50
- It
affects both men and women and is one of the most common neurologic disorders
of the elderly
Source: www.mamashealth.com
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